Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I warmly welcome the Cabinet's decision today to extend the 9% VAT rate for hospitality. This is something I have called for many times because it is beneficial to businesses and consumers alike. In my constituency in Kerry, it will be welcomed and is much-needed as we try to restart the tourism and hospitality sector. One thing that will very much help us restart that sector and, in particular, to raise our profile abroad, especially in North America, would be a presidential visit. There have been rumours that a presidential visit will take place later this year. Is that the case? Given that the estimated advertising value of such a visit can run into hundreds of millions of euro, I ask that we prioritise a visit to County Kerry by the President of the United States. We are approaching the 250th anniversary of the birth of Daniel O'Connell, the Liberator, who had very strong links with Mr. Frederick Douglass in the USA. This decade will also mark the bicentenary of Catholic emancipation and freedom of religious practice in this country, which would be very pertinent to mark during a presidential visit.

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