Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I suggest we go into private session to deal with housekeeping matters and to tease out ideas on what we can do based on what we have heard today. This is a process. In terms of what planning will look like, perhaps we can write to the Department seeking sight of that.

I will not repeat anything that has been said. It has been a really fascinating and interesting topic. I concur with what Mr. O'Mara Walsh said. I am hugely worried about where we are going in terms of the beds which are being taken up with the humanitarian crisis. We are coming to a key point where some hoteliers will continue with the Government contract but some will not.

Interestingly, a delegation from Fáilte Ireland visited Bailieborough, County Cavan, last week doing a consultation on Ireland's Hidden Heartlands, and how we can promote the whole sector. This is an anecdotal example of that. We talked about all the fantastic and beautiful, scenic sights we have, such as Loughanleagh in east Cavan, the geopark in west Cavan and everything in between. Fáilte Ireland goes to a lot of trouble and expense, and works hard to find the magic of Ireland's Hidden Heartlands that identifies it as separate from the Wild Atlantic Way but where can people stay? As Senator Carrigy said, we do not have accommodation. We did not have the number of hotels to start with that you mind find in County Kerry. Many of the hotels we have have used their beds to respond to the humanitarian crisis and I am not sure they are going to come out of that. There is no point in marketing an area if there is nowhere for people to stay. That is a huge question that must be asked and answered.

This legislation could have, as Deputy Cannon said, a detrimental impact on existing accommodation options. If I were to do anything, I would ask representatives of Airbnb to visit Ireland's Hidden Heartland to encourage people to get into Airbnb and alternative types of accommodation as we do not have hotel accommodation.