Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

315. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which hotel bed spaces continue to remain sufficiently available throughout Dublin city and greater areas, with a view to ensuring that tourists and those seeking hotel accommodation are not pressured into paying exorbitant prices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23982/23]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The war in Ukraine, combined with the high number of International Protection applicants, continues to put real pressure on the Government’s ability to offer humanitarian accommodation and has resulted in the largest humanitarian effort in the State’s history. Ireland is now accommodating over 83,520 people in this context, compared with 8,300 in February 2022. This is equivalent to the population of Galway City and serviced accommodation within the tourism sector, hotels primarily, has been to the fore in meeting this immediate need.

Demand for Irish tourism, both from abroad and at home, is strong and the sector, supported by Government, has shown great resilience in rebuilding after Covid. At this point, it is difficult to predict with any certainty the balance between tourism demand and availability of accommodation in 2023 as much will depend on the continued interplay between the tourism accommodation sector and the humanitarian effort.

Businesses continue to face significant cost pressures due to inflation and other economic factors, now in particular energy prices and food prices and this has contributed to higher prices than in 2019. While the reduced availability of hotel rooms for tourism can create the conditions for price rises beyond those dictated by the cost pressures outlined above, all businesses in the sector need to be cognisant of the long term impact of pricing.

It is important Ireland maintains its reputation as a value for money destination and that the industry protects the value for money proposition for Irish tourism in the longer-term. While businesses need to be able to make a sustainable trading margin they must also pay attention to their pricing and how they can deliver added value as part of the wider Irish tourism ecosystem.