Results 2,841-2,860 of 3,444 for speaker:Shane Cassells

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Shane Cassells: I welcome the witnesses back to the committee. I will pick up on that point about the breakdown of counties. That is hugely relevant to the discussion. Mr. O'Mara Walsh touched on it, saying Kerry is at 35% and Donegal is at 50%. The witnesses talked about solutions by Government. By March next year, the more than 60,000 people will not be housed in their entirety, so the facility of...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Shane Cassells: That is understandable. I think the issue of the star ratings of the hotel could be addressed. I know the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is handling the issue but we have officials present from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. It is relevant. Mr. Kelly made the point that international bookings are standing up. If...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Shane Cassells: That goes to my point that there is a fear that the domestic tourist is not valued as much, because if 70% of revenue comes from international tourism, the domestic tourist will be subject to the price fluctuations.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Shane Cassells: We are potentially looking at the same rows next April and May as we had here in April and May of this year.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Shane Cassells: There are two issues here, namely, value for the customer and protecting the industry. There were rows about all of that this year but I acknowledge what Mr. O'Mara Walsh is saying. I have a question for Mr. Fenn and Ms Campbell, which Mr. Kelly touched on. If two or three star hotels are prepared to sign those contracts because they represent guaranteed income in towns and areas which,...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Shane Cassells: I know this information would not exist on paper, but from dealing with the members of his organisation, potentially can Mr. Fenn tell me if it is the case that most properties that are contracted up to the early spring will maintain this arrangement? I ask this because 60,000 units are not going to be provided by next March. Is it the case, therefore, that the members of Mr. Fenn's...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Shane Cassells: Is the suggested figure of €1 billion in decreased spending accepted?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Shane Cassells: Has the industry a sense of how spending held up this year? Was there a reduction? I know we are still in the final quarter, but I would like to get a sense of the situation.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Shane Cassells: We are talking about hotel beds and where we put people, but ultimately, we must give people an offering when they come here. In this regard, I welcome that last night in the Seanad we had the Second Stage of the National Tourism Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2022, which will increase the capital expenditure ceiling for Fáilte Ireland from €300 million to €500...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2022)

Shane Cassells: I have two more quick questions for the representatives from the Department. The point has been made by Mr. O'Mara Walsh that this issue is seen in terms of hotels and hotel bookings. I refer, however, to the wider spending in this context. I thank the officials for the briefing document in this regard. We have a breakdown of spending by county regarding these funds. In Dublin, some...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Future of the Media Sector: Discussion (18 Jan 2023)

Shane Cassells: I welcome the witnesses. Mr. Lynch mentioned the non-television homes. There has been an increase to 16.5% in that regard. We are talking about the future of public broadcasting. We dealt with the print media at the committee before Christmas. Of course, in the budget the Government reduced VAT to zero but it is a stop-gap measure. As a person who has worked in the print media, I know...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Future of the Media Sector: Discussion (18 Jan 2023)

Shane Cassells: Notwithstanding that, we are discussing the future of the media sector. I genuinely want RTÉ, the State broadcaster, to survive, but Dee Forbes previously said at this committee that the funding model was broken. In his opening statement, Mr. Lynch said there is not a sustainable future for RTÉ. That is stark language.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Future of the Media Sector: Discussion (18 Jan 2023)

Shane Cassells: Does Mr. Coveney believe we are at odds with the marketplace? Mr. Farrell mentioned where the US media is going. Are we at odds with the marketplace? If the marketplace is moving to a space where consumers just accessing what they want to access, and that is a political problem, as Mr. Coveney said, will the Exchequer ultimately have to intervene? Mr. Coveney did not want to use the word...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Future of the Media Sector: Discussion (18 Jan 2023)

Shane Cassells: The commission stated that RTÉ should have €288 million funding last year and €293 million this year. As a traditional step, €15 million was made available to address the recommendations of the commission on funding for RTÉ. How far did that go in bridging the gap or what was required?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Future of the Media Sector: Discussion (18 Jan 2023)

Shane Cassells: My next question is for Mr. Farrell and Ms Ní Chaoindealbháin. Virgin Media Television does not have the comfort of public funding from the licence fee. Its analysis is of a changing marketplace where people may be migrating. It depends on advertisers. In terms of assessing its future, is it the case that Virgin Media Television, as a private enterprise, will be seeking...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Future of the Media Sector: Discussion (18 Jan 2023)

Shane Cassells: Going back to direct subvention from the State, is that something that Virgin Media Television would be lobbying or looking for?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Future of the Media Sector: Discussion (18 Jan 2023)

Shane Cassells: That is true. Getting back to the kernel of this, and the same applies to the newspaper industry, ultimately, the question is whether entities should be allowed to fail if they are commercial entities, regardless of whether they are providing a news service. You would think the Taoiseach has changed his tune but, previously, when he was speaking about the newspaper industry, he was not...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Future of the Media Sector: Discussion (18 Jan 2023)

Shane Cassells: I will turn my attention to community television. I wholeheartedly support this sector. Where I come from, Navan, we were very lucky to have a community television station for a long time, as naturally befits Navan's status. We had Navan Television which subsequently became Province 5 Television and was run by Kevin Mac Namidhe. I want to give him particular mention because the...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Future of the Media Sector: Discussion (18 Jan 2023)

Shane Cassells: I support the call in respect of the bursary that exists within community radio. We have seen young journalists and graduates get opportunities for training in real-life situations, which are becoming fewer and fewer in number from two decades ago. I support anything that aids that. I have just one final question to Virgin and RTÉ. I commend them on working on the collaboration...