John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

I do not think the chief executive of Tourism Ireland believes it is quite all right for people to raise prices by 20% to 25% just because a major event, the Ryder Cup, is being held in their locality. People should recognise that the tourism business is not a short-term one and does not exist for short-term gain. It is a long-term business. It is, quite simply, our single largest indigenous service industry and is generating enormous revenue. Revenue from tourism last year, with a record 6.9 million visitors yielded, before carrier receipts and transport costs, was almost €3.5 billion. This is an enormous amount of money and if one includes the domestic element, the industry is worth approximately €5 billion to the economy.

One will always find that a minority of people will buck the trend and attempt to make the fast buck in a slip-shod wink and nudge way. They do a grave disservice to the majority in the industry who wish to ensure that people enjoy the experience and return home with the view that Ireland was a wonderful place to visit and, above all, that they were treated fairly. In that respect, approved accommodation providers must advertise the maximum rates which they charge. At certain times of the year the same accommodation providers charge less than they would at other times. For example, when the Ryder Cup took place in the Belfry, demand exceeded supply, as it will in Kildare and in surrounding areas during the course of the Ryder Cup. When it was held in the Belfry room yields in Birmingham increased by 36% for the period around the competition. I do not wish to see that replicated in Ireland.

I am confident that Ireland will deliver value for money relative to other Ryder Cup venues. In any event the vast majority of visitors will have purchased their packages before they arrive here and they will know precisely the cost because these have been priced, and deals concluded, for some time. Furthermore, as I stated, all approved accommodation providers will have published maximum prices which they cannot legally exceed.

Incidentally, all sectors of the tourism industry are acutely aware of the value for money issues and the available research from Fáilte Ireland suggests that in an overall sense the consumer is very satisfied with the cost of accommodation and of the golf product in Ireland, although less so, admittedly, as I stated previously, with the cost of drinks and eating out. However, the level of overseas competition continues to grow and, as such, Deputy Wall can be assured that there is no complacency in this matter.

The Ryder Cup offers Ireland's tourism industry a golden opportunity, not just to showcase our golf product but to showcase the beauty of our country and, more specifically, the value for money available in Ireland. I appeal to the industry across the country to take that opportunity.

See this speech in context