John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will stick to the minute this time. The Minister of State makes the points well. Everybody understands there will be an increase in rates but the issue here is of a fivefold increase. This comes under the various remits of the Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform, Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Transport, Tourism and Sport. Have any discussions taken place? The danger is that the matter will fall between the remits of the various Ministers and nothing will be decided.

I refer to competition and distorting the market. If Ireland is awarded the hosting of the rugby world cup there will not be a bed in a hotel or a guest house within 40 km of Dublin city. That is not distorting competition or income but is helping the areas the Minister of State mentioned. We need to get real about the benefits if we are choking them through the rates. An increase is acceptable but not the one proposed.

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