TOURISM
Each speech listed here is an edited speech. If you'd like to see the speech or debate in full, please go to the Oireachtas website and click on "Seanad Eireann" and then "Seanad Debates" and click on the relevant date as listed with each speech on this page.
Fisheries Protection - Owenmore Fishery, Clahane, Co. Kerry (19/10/05)
American Express Holiday Cost of Living Index (18/05/05)
Owenmore Fishery
19/10/05 - This matter concerns the Minister’s [Deputy O’Donoghue] own constituency and is one for which responsibility lies in areas other than his Department and outside of Government also but what we need is a little moral support.
This land [Owenmore Fishery] should be expropriated by the State. That beautiful area [Owenmore Fishery] is now for sale. The fishing rights for the six miles of river and the eight lakes are available now for approximately €2.5 million. It is a huge amount of money but as the Minister and I know, this is a community where there is no investment or development. There is no possibility of a factory being built or the development of new undertakings. The development of the angling industry in this area would bring with it various concomitant extras such as gillying, accommodation and food outlets. This is an eco-friendly issue but it is also about community development. I am aware the Minister has taken a strong hand in trying to encourage the south-west fisheries board to take an interest in this. I understand it is prepared to take a decision in principle to support it, and I also understand that Údarás na Gaeltachta is prepared to consider an investment therein.
I ask the Minister to give ministerial support for the idea of a public private partnership. This is not a case of looking for money for nothing. A solid business plan has been drawn up, which I understand has been sent to the Minister’s office, outlining how this can work as a viable industry that will give new life to the area and hope to the people living in the area. It will allow a very eco-friendly business to develop. The area was given an EU award in recent years as a special place of natural beauty.
We must not allow this land to fall back into private hands again. I ask that we facilitate its being given back to the people by way of some of the organs of State investing in it. It is an asset which the State can sell on or whatever in the future. In the meantime, local people in that small community have given a commitment to invest €500,000, and I understand there is a possibility of that figure increasing. It is also my understanding that banks are prepared to come up with a certain amount of money after that. There are four ways this can be approached, therefore - through the banks, the local people, Údarás na Gaeltachta and the fisheries board. In terms of the Department examining this issue, is it possible to develop the sport of angling in that area, which needs an investment also?
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American Express Holiday Cost of Living Index
18/05/05 - Senator Feargal Quinn put down a motion for debate on the issue of the American Express Holiday Cost of Living Index which revealed that Ireland now ranks second only to Norway as the most expensive holiday destination in Europe. I seconded the motion and what follows are some excerpts from my speech:
This is an important issue to debate. I wish to concentrate on the positive aspects. For the past two years, the Irish rate of inflation has been in the lower end of the European scale. There has been a very marginal levelling off of 1% or 2% over the course of the past two years.
The two biggest cost factors highlighted by the survey are car rental and a restaurant meal for two. The cost of car rental is related to insurance and illustrates and reinforces the importance of getting insurance costs in line. The insurance cost for car rental in Ireland is the reason for the exorbitant price and this should be examined. I am vice-president of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board and am glad to see some improvement taking place in that area. I hope more will follow and the House will be discussing the subject next month but it will be a slow process.
The other issue is that of restaurant prices. We cannot quibble with the report because we all know that a dinner for two in Ireland is more expensive than anywhere else in Europe. We should examine the reasons for this. I will illustrate the requirements which must be fulfilled by Irish restaurateurs.
I was sitting in this seat in the House 15 years ago when the regulations for the establishment of restaurants were introduced. Senator Ross and I were on the point of being thrown out of the House because we objected to them. We regarded them as making it impossible to open a restaurant.
I ask the Minister of State to consider the regulations which must be complied with in order to set up a restaurant and which are all about cost. There must be a certain number of doors between the kitchen, toilet and dining areas. These regulations do not apply in most of Europe and this is an issue we should consider. We can do something about the cost of restaurant meals and car hire.
I raised an issue recently and received a lot of nasty mail as a result but I will raise it again. When I travel in Europe I always price the basic nine or ten-inch pizza margarita because it is a good indicator, like the hamburger index. I bought one in a beautiful, sit-down restaurant last week in Ireland. It was the cheapest pizza I had eaten since I was in Italy about two years ago. It cost €6.75 in a nice restaurant which was brand new, with good food and the proper ambience. This may be a sign things are changing.
People are beginning to question the prices. It is good to see people querying prices because in the past we were not used to asking about the price of goods. As we become better off as a nation, I think we are becoming more confident about questioning prices.
For the first time in 20 years, bed and breakfast houses are facing serious competition from hotels. The costs of hotel and bed and breakfast accommodation are being driven down.
I recently travelled by train from Bristol to Falmouth which is a three and a half hour trip, like the journey from Dublin to Cork, which cost over €80 return, £55 sterling one way and £56 return. The following week I took a return train journey from Rosslare to Dublin and it cost €24. Train travel is a lot cheaper in Ireland than in France or in the UK but it is cheaper in Spain and Italy than in Ireland.
I have been a little disjointed in my contribution but this has been deliberate. I want the House to take a close look, as Senator Quinn requested, at the issue. Even though our prices are high, they are not high in every area. We should consider what is low and what is high and take action on high prices inasmuch as we can. We should sell Ireland in terms of quality and level of service.
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Seanad debates are available in full on the Oireachtas website
Each speech listed here is an edited speech. If you'd like to see the speech or debate in full, please go to the Oireachtas website and click on "Seanad Eireann" and then "Seanad Debates" and click on the relevant date as listed with each speech on this page.
Fisheries Protection - Owenmore Fishery, Clahane, Co. Kerry (19/10/05)
American Express Holiday Cost of Living Index (18/05/05)
Owenmore Fishery
19/10/05 - This matter concerns the Minister’s [Deputy O’Donoghue] own constituency and is one for which responsibility lies in areas other than his Department and outside of Government also but what we need is a little moral support.
This land [Owenmore Fishery] should be expropriated by the State. That beautiful area [Owenmore Fishery] is now for sale. The fishing rights for the six miles of river and the eight lakes are available now for approximately €2.5 million. It is a huge amount of money but as the Minister and I know, this is a community where there is no investment or development. There is no possibility of a factory being built or the development of new undertakings. The development of the angling industry in this area would bring with it various concomitant extras such as gillying, accommodation and food outlets. This is an eco-friendly issue but it is also about community development. I am aware the Minister has taken a strong hand in trying to encourage the south-west fisheries board to take an interest in this. I understand it is prepared to take a decision in principle to support it, and I also understand that Údarás na Gaeltachta is prepared to consider an investment therein.
I ask the Minister to give ministerial support for the idea of a public private partnership. This is not a case of looking for money for nothing. A solid business plan has been drawn up, which I understand has been sent to the Minister’s office, outlining how this can work as a viable industry that will give new life to the area and hope to the people living in the area. It will allow a very eco-friendly business to develop. The area was given an EU award in recent years as a special place of natural beauty.
We must not allow this land to fall back into private hands again. I ask that we facilitate its being given back to the people by way of some of the organs of State investing in it. It is an asset which the State can sell on or whatever in the future. In the meantime, local people in that small community have given a commitment to invest €500,000, and I understand there is a possibility of that figure increasing. It is also my understanding that banks are prepared to come up with a certain amount of money after that. There are four ways this can be approached, therefore - through the banks, the local people, Údarás na Gaeltachta and the fisheries board. In terms of the Department examining this issue, is it possible to develop the sport of angling in that area, which needs an investment also?
Back to top of the page
American Express Holiday Cost of Living Index
18/05/05 - Senator Feargal Quinn put down a motion for debate on the issue of the American Express Holiday Cost of Living Index which revealed that Ireland now ranks second only to Norway as the most expensive holiday destination in Europe. I seconded the motion and what follows are some excerpts from my speech:
This is an important issue to debate. I wish to concentrate on the positive aspects. For the past two years, the Irish rate of inflation has been in the lower end of the European scale. There has been a very marginal levelling off of 1% or 2% over the course of the past two years.
The two biggest cost factors highlighted by the survey are car rental and a restaurant meal for two. The cost of car rental is related to insurance and illustrates and reinforces the importance of getting insurance costs in line. The insurance cost for car rental in Ireland is the reason for the exorbitant price and this should be examined. I am vice-president of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board and am glad to see some improvement taking place in that area. I hope more will follow and the House will be discussing the subject next month but it will be a slow process.
The other issue is that of restaurant prices. We cannot quibble with the report because we all know that a dinner for two in Ireland is more expensive than anywhere else in Europe. We should examine the reasons for this. I will illustrate the requirements which must be fulfilled by Irish restaurateurs.
I was sitting in this seat in the House 15 years ago when the regulations for the establishment of restaurants were introduced. Senator Ross and I were on the point of being thrown out of the House because we objected to them. We regarded them as making it impossible to open a restaurant.
I ask the Minister of State to consider the regulations which must be complied with in order to set up a restaurant and which are all about cost. There must be a certain number of doors between the kitchen, toilet and dining areas. These regulations do not apply in most of Europe and this is an issue we should consider. We can do something about the cost of restaurant meals and car hire.
I raised an issue recently and received a lot of nasty mail as a result but I will raise it again. When I travel in Europe I always price the basic nine or ten-inch pizza margarita because it is a good indicator, like the hamburger index. I bought one in a beautiful, sit-down restaurant last week in Ireland. It was the cheapest pizza I had eaten since I was in Italy about two years ago. It cost €6.75 in a nice restaurant which was brand new, with good food and the proper ambience. This may be a sign things are changing.
People are beginning to question the prices. It is good to see people querying prices because in the past we were not used to asking about the price of goods. As we become better off as a nation, I think we are becoming more confident about questioning prices.
For the first time in 20 years, bed and breakfast houses are facing serious competition from hotels. The costs of hotel and bed and breakfast accommodation are being driven down.
I recently travelled by train from Bristol to Falmouth which is a three and a half hour trip, like the journey from Dublin to Cork, which cost over €80 return, £55 sterling one way and £56 return. The following week I took a return train journey from Rosslare to Dublin and it cost €24. Train travel is a lot cheaper in Ireland than in France or in the UK but it is cheaper in Spain and Italy than in Ireland.
I have been a little disjointed in my contribution but this has been deliberate. I want the House to take a close look, as Senator Quinn requested, at the issue. Even though our prices are high, they are not high in every area. We should consider what is low and what is high and take action on high prices inasmuch as we can. We should sell Ireland in terms of quality and level of service.
Back to top of the page
Seanad debates are available in full on the Oireachtas website