Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

On the positive side, the surplus of bedrooms in this country offers an opportunity for promoting Ireland more aggressively in the UK and elsewhere. Has the Minister encouraged Tourism Ireland to tell the world how cheap and competitive our hotel rates are at present? We have an oversupply of rooms according to Peter Bacon and while perhaps some hotels should be closed, that is not going to happen. Is there a potential for promoting tourism based on our low rates? However, it is not sustainable for hotels that their rates are back to 1999 levels.

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