Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Leader will be aware, and we have read in today's newspapers, that the Irish dancing organisation at the centre of the feis fixing scandal has received a report from Mr. Justice Peart. We now understand that the next phase of that will be an internal process within that organisation. Parents and teachers who have contacted me over recent weeks and again this morning are deeply unhappy with the way matters have transpired. The information, or leaks if you want, which led to this investigation was provided to the organisation back in July. It took until September for it to involve itself in a process by appointing the judge and only after the same information started to make its way into the public domain through social media. The teachers and parents who have spoken to me have no faith in the process now under way. Teachers have been meeting around the country over the past few nights. As I understand it, there are some 2,000 Irish dancing teachers across the world, with about 800 in Ireland. They are deeply unhappy with what has happened. A relatively small number of teachers and judges have been involved in this. The teachers want a resolution.

While the State does not provide funding to An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha, Conradh na Gaeilge is the patron body of this organisation. I appeal to Conradh na Gaeilge to use whatever good offices are available to it to try to bring some sense to bear here. We need a proper transparent process. I am hopeful that, collectively, the organisation and its patron will ensure the report being prepared by the judge is passed to the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Catherine Martin.

Since An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha is registered as a charity, I believe the judge's report should go to the Charities Regulator at a minimum. I and the teachers who are not involved in this - and only a very small number are involved - hope the management of the organisation will appear before the Oireachtas joint committee. I understand such a request is about to be made and from what I hear, there seems to be some resistance from within the organisation. This process needs to be open and transparent.

Let us not forget that this organisation is the international guardian of Irish dancing. Within its charter it sees its role as promoting the Irish language. Many in this House have an interest in the Irish language and we want to see it promoted. We want to see Irish dancing and our culture promoted. We do not need anything that undermines that. This is a very serious issue that must be addressed. I hope that what I have outlined can be brought to pass. I ask the Leader to request that the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, come to the House at the earliest opportunity to discuss this matter.

If the Cathaoirleach will indulge me, I will raise one other matter. The budget reintroduced the 13.5% VAT rate for the hospitality sector, which includes hotels and restaurants. This came on the back of what many of us identified as price gouging by hotels in Dublin. For example, when there is a shortage of rooms or hotels get to their last couple of rooms they jack up their prices, doubling and trebling them at weekends. This is unacceptable behaviour. The Cathaoirleach represents a constituency like mine that is steeped in tourism and has lot of hotels. There is no Dublin hotel in County Clare and none in Kerry either. Nor would hotels in Clare or Kerry be able to sustain those prices. Significant pressure is being put on other hotels as a result of the actions of hotels in this city. I would like a debate in the House with the Minister for Finance on the possibility of splitting hotel rooms in Dublin from the rest of the country. If that is not possible, we should split hotels and hotel rooms - accommodation - from the food sector. We recently heard from Adrian Cummins of the Restaurants Association of Ireland that it had never before seen the number of closures coming down the tracks. We need to address that. Having supported the industry during tough times using taxpayers' money, we do not want these entities to close as a result of the changes in the VAT structure.