Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Rather than potential issues happening, these are real issues that are already becoming a crisis. Some 76% of hotels are being used. Yesterday, there was an article in The Irish Timeson a report by the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, ITIC, which states that the tourism industry is warning of a potential €1 billion cost if refugee numbers in hotels and bed and breakfasts continue to rise. It was also reported industry will call on Government to reduce the proportion of tourism accommodation being used to house refugees from Ukraine and elsewhere to between 12% and 15%. Has that call been made? If so, has it been communicated to the Department? The Minister stated that there has been engagement, so I would like to know if that call has been made. This is an absolute crisis. Real issues are there already - not potential ones. One of the most, if not the most, important economic sectors is being radically undermined by the wholesale takeover of hotels. As indicted in The Irish Times, the report notes:

... the Republic is 'an outlier' in Europe in the depth of its reliance on tourism beds for refugees, and warns the reduced capacity for tourists is damaging the industry [...] Currently, it says, almost 22 per cent of tourism accommodation is used by the State for refugees from Ukraine and elsewhere. Itic wants this cut to 12-15 per cent ...

Would the Minister be in favour of that? That would be a proportionate and fair response. There are limitations to everything, unfortunately.

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