Johnny Mythen (Wexford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I agree with most of what Deputy Griffin has said, and there are serious issues with car hire and so forth. It was mentioned during the conversation that it is a misperception that prices are high. I do not know how that could be because speaker after speaker has dealt with this issue. In my own area, for two nights in August for one person, the price is €460 and the prices in Dublin are phenomenal. How can the price of a last-available room be so high? It was said that the figures are being distorted but that is a fact. I spoke to a taxi driver the other day who was talking about prices in Dublin. He told me about four women who came over from Manchester for a weekend in Dublin and, on their way back, they said they would never come back to Dublin again. That is the situation on the ground due to the exorbitant prices people are being charged. We have to come to terms with what is worth what. People might gain for this year, but next year and the year after that, they are going to suffer. We have to address that issue.

The Department's briefing note outlined that some actions have been taken to address staff shortages. Do the witnesses believe the low wages in this industry are contributing to staff shortages?

Does Fáilte Ireland have criteria for businesses to use its logo? Does this include a value for money element? If not, could this be a way to address the overpricing in other areas? I would like to get an answer to those questions for a start.