Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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26. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department is monitoring the price of hotel rooms in Ireland; if she is concerned in particular with the prices regularly being charged currently for Dublin hotel rooms and the international competitive reputational disadvantage that such prices may cause; if she proposes any intervention in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32203/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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As we enter the peak summer months and the tourism industry recovers, there is inevitably additional pressure on hotel capacity and pricing.  

The initial recovery phase has been unpredictable and the speed and pace of the return of tourism has brought issues for all tourism businesses,  many of which are repeated in other markets around the world. Hotel supply in Dublin has been challenged and affected by a range of factors, some of them short-term. These include deferred business from the last two years and increased demand.

Businesses are facing significant cost pressures due to inflation and other economic factors but it is important that Ireland maintains its reputation as a value for money destination.

Value is not just about price, it is also about what the customer gets for that price and Irish businesses have proven before that there are numerous ways to ensure the customer experience matches the price, so that visitors are attracted back again and recommend Ireland to family and friends.

The return of a sustainable and vibrant tourism sector is important for all areas and regions and I stress that it is important that businesses see and maintain a long term perspective on competitiveness and value for money. 

My Department officials have engaged with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation and the Irish Hotels Federation in order to further understand underlying issues surrounding the recovery of the tourism sector and to emphasise the importance of maintaining a strong value proposition at the core of Irish tourism.  They are also working with the tourism agencies to ensure that promotional marketing campaigns are optimally aligned with supply across the sector during the year. 

The Tánaiste and I co-chair the Tourism and Hospitality Forum; this grouping is due to meet next week and this will offer another opportunity to discuss and address these issues.