Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

We have now seen the published report of Forfás which shows that, comparatively, prices in the economy are the highest of any EU country. I asked yesterday for a debate on tourism to see how we could reduce costs for domestic and foreign tourists using tourism services. I now ask for that debate to be widened to include the issue of prices as we are pricing ourselves out of the tourism market. Clearly, people are creaming off profits, while the consumer is losing out, as has been shown since the introduction of the euro. Will the Leader arrange a debate on the matter in the coming weeks?

We hear today that Deputy Healy-Rae and his band are in talks with the Government to provide a second flank in case the Progressive Democrats walk away.