Dáil debates
Wednesday, 21 February 2024
Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation
12:40 pm
Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour) | Oireachtas source
Drogheda will lose 56% of its tourism hotel beds in March. The nature of the Department of integration's arrangement with the D Hotel must be re-examined. As the Taoiseach knows, the town of Drogheda has a long and proud history of social solidarity and tolerance of pluralism, and that continues. For the vast majority of the people of my town, this was only ever about the loss of key hotel beds. Here is the evidence. On Saturday, the far right organised a protest in my hometown, which 300 people attended. The important point is that 41,000 Droghedians did not. The economic impact of this decision is very real, and evidence shows a loss of at least €5.4 million in revenue locally. There needs to be a mitigation package.
As the Taoiseach knows, I proposed last week that a dual use tourism and international approach should come into play. I want to have the Taoiseach's views on that. We know that Ukrainian families are hosted in hotels side by side with tourists and there are no child protection issues.
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