Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Hotel accommodation has been seen from the very beginning as a short term solution. It is not an ideal medium- to long-term solution for the accommodation needs of families. That is why the Government is exploring the wide range of alternative options, including the rolling out of a rapid-build housing programme. The use of tourist accommodation to meet humanitarian needs, while necessary in the short term, has obviously led to concerns for everyone involved in tourism, from what I have heard from engagement with the sector. My Department is represented on the senior officials' group on this issue. In addition, my Department has regular engagement with the sector representatives on a range of issues, including this. Department officials will next meet with the tourism agencies and tourism sector representatives on 6 December 2022. There is ongoing engagement with the Department of the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, and between me and the Minister, and I have conveyed the concerns of the industry.

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