Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to get the opportunity to talk on this very important topic. I welcome anything that would help tourism in the country and, indeed, in Kerry. All of us are privileged to be elected to this Chamber to represent the people who elected us from whatever part of the country. However, I feel that being a Deputy from Kerry, I have an advantage because I am representing the best county in the country and in the world as far as tourism is concerned, because as has been said before Kerry is the tourism capital of the world.

Whether one meets someone from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Kansas or wherever, they all know about Kerry and they know about Killarney. We have that advantage but we cannot stand still. We need to advertise, emphasise and tell the people. We need to treat the people who come today properly and hospitality in Kerry does just that whether one is in Killarney, Ballybunion, Dingle, Kenmare or Cahersiveen. We have hotels, guesthouses and pubs and we do it very well.

I thank all the owners, proprietors and managers and the workers for the extra care they take of the visitors who come to Kerry, because they know what it is about in that if one does a good job, one will reap the rewards because people will come back. That is what we wish to ensure. We also thank the coach operators who had such a tough time over the past two or three years, for the way they do their job and treat the people who travel with them so well.

We have restaurants, cafes and pubs and we have the INEC events centre in Killarney which is second to none.

It is a town within a town given what it offers. Last Saturday night, the Kilfenora Céilí Band was playing in one part of it and Gina and the Champions in another. It just shows in the middle of October what kinds of attractions are being provided. Bing Crosby, the famous crooner, said when he sung of Killarney, and it was the same of Kerry, that day-time or night-time, he liked to be there. We are very proud of Kerry and all it does.

Tourism is so important. I am sad that Airbnbs are going to be blown out of it. People are concerned their incomes will be nullified because of what is happening. These people provided a type of accommodation that was needed for people who could only spend so much on it. They were providing an excellent service. I worry for the Killarney electoral area. As it is a rent pressure zone, it is being said that people can no longer advertise Airbnb accommodation, which will have a disastrous effect on Killarney and County Kerry in general.

I am also worried because so much of our hotel and guesthouse accommodation taken up by refugees. While we want to see after those who are there, there must be a cap put on the numbers. We cannot see after the refugees we have already and we cannot see after our own people. If take the social welfare offices and the doctors, there is more to seeing after these refugees and asylum seekers than just putting them into a bed and putting a roof over their heads. There is so much more involved and we need to have a proper debate in this Chamber on the number of refugees and asylum seekers we are accepting because in Killarney we are full. That is the word that is coming back from there.

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