Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want to acknowledge the Leader's good news and congratulate her. I myself was not aware of it until a few minutes ago.

A Chathaoirligh, I would like to acknowledge your rise to the position of Chair. I am delighted for you and your family. You will be an excellent Chair over the next two years. I say "Well done" to Senator Buttimer.

I would like to have a debate in the next few weeks or months on the tourism industry, which has unparalleled issues coming towards it at present. Not alone do we have issues regarding the amount of accommodation available and where it will be available going into a tourism season, but also we have the issue about the VAT rate and how that will affect the industry. I refer to whether there we will have capacity, whether there will be an increase in VAT, and where this entire industry will go in the next few weeks and months. It is only appropriate that in the early part of the year we have that debate in this House and that we get the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Deputy Catherine Martin, in before us to discuss her long-term plans for the industry in this period of unbelievable flux. A large amount of tourist accommodation full is at present with refugees, for example. How will the industry survive? What is the plan? Where will they go or how will the industry develop if we do not have the accommodation on the ground?

The VAT rate has also become a significant issue for the industry. Prices have gone up, energy costs have gone up, labour costs have gone up and now the VAT rate will go up as well. That will be a significant impediment, particularly for the rural tourism industries. Tourism providers in pllaces, such as west Cork, will be affected by that VAT rate increase. They do not have the luxury of being in a capital city or an urban centre, and we need to make sure we protect them. A debate with the Minister in the next few weeks in this Chamber to give us her vision on how she believes this industry will develop in the next few months would be important because there is great anxiety out there. They need to know what the plan is. At present, it is unclear. We need to put something down for them so that they can plan for the next few months.