Results 5,481-5,500 of 7,961 for speaker:Imelda Munster

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: It is perfectly understandable for Louth Environmental Group to be frustrated, to say the least, that projects it has proposed have gone without funding when nearly half of the funding available was returned unspent. Could we seek clarity from the council as to why the proposal from the group was not successful or why the council did not deliver on the revenue scheme more generally and sent...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: As far as I know, it does not. It runs along the waterfront. That is where the properties on which the group got permission to carry out works are. There was a footpath.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: I propose that we write to the council and the county manager and ask her to respond to the issues the Louth Environmental Group has flagged, including that the project had been included in the development plan since 1996 and that the group was confident that the lands had been secured. I also propose we ask her what efforts the council made to pursue this project once it had the funding....

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 3 - Central Government Funding of Local Authorities (23 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: Yes.

Emergency Budget: Motion [Private Members] (28 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: It is clear to everyone except those in government that a significant number of people are suffering right now due to the cost-of-living crisis. Inflation is at its highest in four decades and we are hearing stories from Barnardos and other organisations that this level of deprivation and poverty has not been seen since the 1980s. This means real hunger, not being able to use electricity...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: I am just reading Mr. Fenn’s report to the effect that the sector has seen a much faster rebound in tourism than anyone would have previously anticipated resulting in a very strong recovery in demand that far exceeded all forecasts. That is great news with which I am sure he would agree.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: I just wanted Mr. Fenn to acknowledge that that in itself was good news for the sector and the industry. Why, then, are there such extortionate room rates being charged and why is there such price gouging?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: Mr. Fenn can speak in general. He has given a report today and has quoted prices in his report from various countries on hotel average room rates. Of course he can comment-----

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: ----- he represents the industry and is out there looking for supports and VAT reductions and that sort of thing.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: There is price gouging and extortionate room rates. Mr. Fenn can make a general comment because he would look quite silly if her were to sit here and fail to acknowledge the extortionate room rates that are being charged at the moment and the price gouging that is going on within the industry.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: I heard Mr. Fenn say that a moment ago. Again, I will give Mr. Fenn an example and he can check it out any day of the week. Just this morning, for one night for a room in the second week of July for Dublin, the cheapest rate was €379, with no breakfast. The price for a four star hotel room in Madrid was €120 and for a four star room in Lisbon was €141. Paris was...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: I do not know how anybody could justify that but can Mr. Fenn justify it?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: As the industry representative, he can comment as I have just given him a comparison. I can give him further examples which are actually worse and more embarrassing for the industry. I am talking about the industry which Mr. Fenn represents and asking him if he can justify rooms which are three times, or two and a half times, more expensive than other European hotel rooms when other such...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: My apologies for interrupting Mr. Fenn but I am talking about your average person who is trying to book a room in two, three, four, five or six weeks time. They are not asking themselves how that compares with the average price, overall. We are talking about what is on display for people who want to have a break or to go on holidays. I have given Mr. Fenn one example and if he is not...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: Would Mr. Fenn see that as price gouging because it is the last couple of seats?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: I am asking a question. I do not want Mr. Fenn talking down the clock. He referred in his statement to situations at weekends and nights when there are major concerts or events when occupancy in Dublin exceeds 90% and the last available rooms are quoted at rates in excess of the average room rate. That is price gouging by any other name; it is a rip-off. That is in Mr. Fenn's own statement.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: Mr. Fenn acknowledges that price gouging goes on and people are charged rip-off rates.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: That is there in black and white. I am saying this in the context of the pandemic. When Mr. Fenn's sector was in crisis and people were encouraged to holiday at home, people supported the sector. I think it was Mr. O'Mara Walsh who said they helped the survival of the industry. The minute things are starting to open up, we have the rip-off again. We have extortionate room rates being...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Rising Cost of Tourist Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jun 2022)

Imelda Munster: How? Tell me how. In the current context of rip-off rates and extortionate room rates, tell me how the Irish Hotels Federation does that and how effective it has been.