Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the VAT reduction and acknowledge that The Gathering has been a fantastic success to date. It is a community-based initiative across the length and breadth of the country. I have received a number of complaints about the Irish Hotels Federation. We must put down a marker that people must not be fleeced by hotels on peak occasions, including St. Patrick's weekend. It is a particular problem in Dublin when people come to major events. This has been brought to my attention and I ask that the Minister of State maintain contacts with the Irish Hotels Federation and the Restaurants Association of Ireland to ensure prices are maintained and that inflated prices are not charged at certain times of the year during major events.

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