Annie Hoey (Labour) | Oireachtas source

When I saw the number of 63,000, I thought it was 3,000 beds left. I just wanted to clarify that for myself to make sure I was on that.

There are really high figures here such as 92% for Dublin occupancy - and I would argue that this is a great figure, especially when we think of ten years ago which were different times - but my sense from what Mr. Kelly is saying is that the sector fears we are reaching a tipping point and that this is all going to go the other way. My sense from the submissions and from what people are saying is that there is a fear it is going to go the other way, whether it is through recession, costs or whatever, and that we are reaching a tipping point and will not be able to maintain those levels of occupancy or that high rate of occupancy.

I am sure there were lots of mixed views on the stay and spend scheme at the time, but do the witnesses believe there will come a point in the future when we will need to look again at something like that scheme for the tourism sector? I refer to it not just for occupancy purposes but also for trying to get the tourism piece within those communities, towns and villages. Is it something that is going to have to be looked at again to try to incentivise people stay and spend here? Did the industry believe the previous scheme worked? What would have to be different about that if we were to look at it again?