Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Last week representatives of the Irish Hotels Federation appeared before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media. They said that there was a faster rebound in tourism than anyone had previously anticipated. They said there was a very strong recovery, exceeding all forecasts, which is very welcome so why the price gouging? Why the extortionate room rates that are being charged? Huge reputational damage is being done to our country in both the domestic and international markets.

I looked up accommodation for one night in July. In Dublin the price is €379 for one room for one night with no breakfast. In Madrid, a four-star hotel on the same night costs €120, meaning that Dublin is three times more expensive. In Lisbon, a room in a four-star hotel is €141, meaning that Dublin is two and half times more expensive. The price in Paris is €147 and in Amsterdam it is €141. This weekend, a room in Paris for two nights, from 24 to 26 June, is €208 for two people. On the same night in Dublin the cheapest room I can find for two people is not a private room but a bed in a dormitory costing €400. This is doing such damage, particularly to those hotels across the State that are offering good value for money, that are not engaging in price gouging and are doing all they can to encourage tourism.

At this stage, given that everybody is talking about it, is the Minister not concerned? One only has to go onto the booking sites where one can see and compare prices. The excuse they gave about inflation does not weigh up because if hotels in Europe are facing the same inflation costs as hotels in Dublin yet can offer value for money, then inflation is no excuse whatsoever. Is the Minister not concerned at this ongoing rip off? For most people the public opinion out there is that it just stinks of pure greed.

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