Vol. 1042 No. 2
51. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she has met with, or whether she intends to meet, a representative body (details supplied) and Fáilte Ireland to raise concerns around hotels price gouging and cancelling bookings without reason, and re-advertising the same rooms at much higher rates when major events, such as a specific concert, are announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34582/23]
This question is to ask the Minister whether she has met, or intends to meet, the Irish Hotels Federation and Fáilte Ireland to raise concerns around the issue of hotels price gouging, cancelling bookings without reason and readvertising those very same rooms at a much higher rate when major events, such as concerts are announced, and to make a statement on it.
My position on the general issue of hotel pricing and, indeed, the wider value for money proposition within Irish tourism remains unchanged. While Ireland is not a low-cost destination, it is vital the sector keeps the value-for-money proposition to the fore across all its segments to ensure that our high quality reputation is maintained and that new and repeat visitors continue to come here. The long-term impacts of short-term thinking need to be carefully considered by all tourism businesses in setting their prices.
While there is fair value to be had in tourism accommodation, including hotels, around the country for much of the year, there are specific price spikes at specific times and locations, often coinciding with concerts and sporting events. These spikes, or compression events that occur when demand is highest, have the potential to cause reputational damage for the sector. I am advised by Fáilte Ireland that this is not necessarily representative of the wider hotel sector in general but, to bring some definitive facts to bear on the situation, I have asked Fáilte Ireland to commission independent research to better understand the potential scale and frequency of any pricing issues based on the best available empirical evidence with recommendations for actions arising, as appropriate.
While I have not specifically met the Irish Hotels Federation on this matter, I have raised the issue at a whole-of-sector level as recently as 28 June at the hospitality and tourism forum which I co-chair with the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. My officials continue to engage on an ongoing basis with Fáilte Ireland on a range of issues relating to the tourism sector, including potential concerns around pricing. The issue has also been discussed in detail by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media at a number of hearings with the Irish Hotels Federation, the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, Fáilte Ireland, and my own officials.
It is recognised that businesses, including hotels and others within tourism, continue to face significant cost pressures due to inflation and other economic factors. Rising costs however are not unique to the tourism industry and are a challenge for the wider economy. Businesses need to be able to make a sustainable trading margin but they must also pay attention to their pricing and how they can continue to deliver added value to ensure their long-term viability.
I welcome the fact Fáilte Ireland is or will be looking at this issue and I look forward to that report. Cost pressures are not an excuse for the multiple increases in the usual prices we have seen around specific concerts, St. Patrick's Day or, most recently, the Taylor Swift concert. Multiple increases in the usual prices were sought for rooms. In some cases, bookings which had already been made for those dates were cancelled and readvertised at inflated costs. This is something my colleague, Deputy Munster, has raised continuously over the years. This cannot continue because it is doing reputational damage. Hopefully, the Irish Hotels Federation will heed the warnings about the damage such actions by some of its members is causing to the tourism industry.
I am in agreement with the Deputy on the potential reputational damage to an industry which is of great importance to Ireland from an employment and economic point of view. That is why I have asked Fáilte Ireland to initiate this research. I will see what recommendations might arise from that.
We are definitely seeing price spiking in certain locations and these seem to occur, as the Deputy said, when concerts or major sporting events are scheduled, and he named one such event. As I said, this is not affecting the entire sector, or every hotel in the country. It seems to be specific locations at specific times but I want the hard data and to see what the recommendations from Fáilte Ireland are.
The Minister is correct that it is not all the members - in fact, the vast majority of hotels are trying to get by. There may be increases every now and again due to costs and so forth, but the multiple increases in the usual prices in certain areas of the country, Dublin included, cannot be justified. If this is a threat to the industry in our State, then the Minister and the Government need to act. This is the very same body which lobbied for special VAT rates, which were justifiable in many cases. This body has thus far been quite silent on this issue. It needs to remind all of its members, and those who are not members, that they are damaging the tourism industry and the tourism product we have and that this practice has to stop. If that does not happen, the Government, including the Minister, must have the powers to intervene to stop that damage to our tourism industry.
Apart from the research I have asked Fáilte Ireland to do, I know it would have written last winter to registered accommodation providers and would have asked every business to consider Ireland's long-term value-for-money reputation when setting prices. That was repeated again at the industry information events, attended by more than 2,000 industry members, and at the Irish Hotels Federation, IHF, conference earlier this year. As I said, I have asked that the research report be delivered in the autumn and in addition I have asked that the research make recommendations. That will inform both the Department and Fáilte Ireland in considering how to proceed.
It is too early to commit to what the actions will be. I have to await that research because I need to understand the research and see the nature and scale of the potential problem.
52. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she met with the Arts Council in relation to the incorrect correspondence promising an award of €25,000 each to 141 artists under the next generation artists fund at a total cost of €3.525 million; if she is satisfied that measures have been put in place to ensure a repeat of this incident will not occur; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34774/23]
Ar dtús báire, tapaím an deis seo biseach a ghuí ar an Aire Stáit, an Teachta O'Donovan. Tá súil agam go mbeidh sé anseo ag déanamh iomrá linn amach anseo arís san fhómhar.
This question relates to the Arts Council, which issued a congratulatory notice to 141 artists saying they had gotten an award of €25,000 under the new generation artists fund at a total cost of €3.525 million. Is the Minister satisfied measures are being put in place to ensure a repeat of this does not happen? The Arts Council then had to withdraw its letters of congratulations.
Mar atá a fhios ag an Teachta, bhí an tAire Stáit tinn agus beidh sé ar ais, le cúnamh Dé, san fhómhar.
I am aware of the incident to which the Deputy refers and I am very sorry for all of the artists who were affected. Since taking office as Minister, I have been aware that precarious incomes have been a feature of the arts sector and, accordingly, I have placed a strong focus on supporting professional arts practice. This is why I have sustained funding for the Arts Council at record levels of €130 million, and have introduced a three-year €105 million basic income for artists pilot scheme. In addition, I have increased funding for Culture Ireland, Creative Ireland and Screen Ireland.
As Minister, I have no involvement in the day-to-day running of the Arts Council, a statutory agency overseen by a board. I respect this arm's-length principle enshrined in legislation. It is important the Arts Council should continue to be an independent funding body and a voice for the arts.
As to the incident in question, I understand the Arts Council issued emails to 141 applicants for the next generation artists award, incorrectly indicating that an award would be granted. The Arts Council then emailed all affected to inform them of the error after seven minutes and apologised unreservedly. I further understand that the director of the Arts Council spoke on this matter on the "Drivetime" programme on RTÉ Radio 1 on 30 June and apologised profusely. My officials have engaged with the Arts Council and were informed that the initial notification was caused by an administrative error. They have also been assured that the Arts Council has now put in place additional checks for the issue of decision letters to prevent a repeat of this error. The Arts Council is also in the process of updating its computerised grant application awards and payments system and that is expected to be live in 2024.
I am therefore aware of the incident and I am aware particularly of the understandably deep disappointment of those affected by the error. The Arts Council has acknowledged its role in the event and has taken steps to prevent recurrence. I can assure the Deputy that for as long as I am Minister, I will continue to look to maximise support for the arts and for artists.
The Minister outlined exactly what happened, namely, 141 applicants to the next generation artists fund got an email stating: "I am delighted to inform you that you have been awarded funding to the value of €25,000". Any artist I know would have celebrated straight away having got an email like that. An artist for whom this was life-changing award told me she immediately called her family to share the news and they even cried with happiness at her success. She said they were crying again again later "... when the Arts Council let all of us be crushed by their 'mistake'." Some artists told collaborators and venues straight away and discussed projects. They did not look at the follow-up email straight away and I will come back to that later. Reputations are damaged and trust is affected. Many people were left devastated. It can be dismissed as a simple mistake but there is nothing simple about it for the artists. It was €25,000 they had in their pockets one minute that disappeared the next.
I absolutely understand, as we all do, the precarious nature of being an artist from a financial point of view. I appreciate the deep disappointment and heartbreak of those who thought they had the award and discovered seven minutes later they did not. The director of the Arts Council has even spoken on radio and apologised profusely. The council emailed all the applicants to inform them of the error within seven minutes and apologised unreservedly. It was an unfortunate administrative error, but key to this in building trust is that the council has now put in place additional checks for the issue of decision letters to prevent a repeat of this error. As I said, the council is in the process of updating its computerised grant application awards and payments system and that is expected to be live next year.
I appreciate the arm's-length principle in terms of the Arts Council in that the Minister cannot get involved in its day-to-day running. However, the whole thing was shambolic because the emails that went out immediately were incorrect in some cases. They were sent after the original error. One said an applicant was rejected for a different bursary award and then another said the council hoped the applicant would not be discouraged from applying for the scheme in future, despite 2023 supposedly being its last year. It seems to have been a comedy of errors rather than just one issue. People welcomed the personal apology from the director of the council a few days later after the media attention concentrated on this, but one artist concluded, "This single ordeal brings into question the veracity and competency of the Arts Council as well as raising a doubt in their genuine interest to treat all artists appropriately". I hope we have learned lessons from this, that the Arts Council learns from this and that it will fully engage with the artists who had their hopes built up and then dashed so cruelly only a few days ago.
As I said, I understand the deep disappointment of those affected by the error. On the errors the Deputy pointed out, the council has put in additional checks. It is seeking to rectify that to ensure there is no recurrence of anything like this. It is putting in the checks to prevent a repeat of any such error that would cause such distress and disappointment to the artists we value so much. The council has apologised unreservedly, acknowledged its role in the event and is taking the necessary steps it needs to take to prevent any such recurrence.
53. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will engage with the various stakeholders involved in the development of a campaign (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35132/23]
The Minister would have seen the passion in the Chamber yesterday when football clubs from around the country with a love of the game assembled here. I am asking about a site just outside my constituency at Alfie Byrne Park, which has been a planned destination for a number of clubs, including East Wall Bessborough Football Club, Belvedere Football Club and I hope Sheriff Youth Club, to develop a pitch that is accessible and has changing rooms and all the amenities a basic footballing facility needs.
The Minister and I are determined to see continued investment in sports facilities to ensure we achieve our ambitious targets for sports participation. In this regard, the sports capital and equipment programme, SCEP, is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. More than 13,000 projects have benefited from sports capital funding since 1998, bringing the total allocations in that time to more than €1.15 billion. The programme for Government commits to continuing the SCEP and to prioritising investment in disadvantaged areas.
The 2020 round was a record one and the total allocation was €166.6 million. After that, the Department commenced a full review of all aspects of it. This review was published and is available on the Department’s website. Once the review was finalised, I asked my officials to draft the guide to making an application for the next round. This work is now complete and yesterday the Minister and I published the new guide to making an application for the 2023 SCEP. We announced the programme will be open for applications from next Monday until 8 September and I look forward to seeing a high level of applications for sports projects from right across the country.
As well as being open to individual sports clubs, applications are also accepted from local authorities. I understand Dublin City Council has previously received significant SCEP funding for sports facilities in the vicinity of Alfie Byrne Road, including all-weather pitches used by some local football clubs. Under the new 2023 round, projects, which are clubs basically, can apply for up to €200,000. The maximum valid grant available for projects deemed to be of regional significance, which a local authority facility generally would be, has been increased to €0.5 million. Funding is also provided under the large-scale sport infrastructure fund, LSSIF, which is designed for projects where the funding required from the Exchequer is greater.
We hope to have another round of that later in the year.
Regarding a new sports facility at Alfie Byrne Park, it is open to Dublin City Council to make a future application under either the SCEP. If any local sports clubs has a lease on it, it can apply as well.
I thank the Minister of State for his very comprehensive answer and for getting into specifics regarding Alfie Byrne Road. The site referenced by Minister of State for which Dublin City Council requires funding is just around the corner from Clontarf so there are all sorts of complications given the different GAA clubs and the multitude of football clubs that play on a pitch that is not fit for purpose. The all-weather nature of the pitch is a bit outdated.
The Alfie Byrne Road site is different. Any weekend, one will find hundreds of families there as well almost half a dozen politicians, including the Minister for Finance and members of the Minister of State's party, myself and others and promises have been made to the community that they would advocate for the development of that site for football pitches and sensory buildings. I would like someone to bring the different stakeholders together - even for one or two meetings - to see what the direction might be and what the best way to approach this is. Could the Minister of State or someone from his Department have that stakeholder meeting - even just once - as we would all benefit from that? We would have a common direction because there is excitement but also confusion. It is not just in the constituency. It involves the north central Dublin footballing community, so it would be beneficial if we had that meeting.
I assume the site is owned by Dublin City Council.
It is but there are complications around leases.
If Dublin City Council owns it, it can definitely apply for funding. I am more than happy to meet with it and the groups there. The fact that it serves disadvantaged areas effectively means it will be top of the list and a higher priority than other projects. We would be very keen to do that. I am certainly happy to meet the stakeholders. However, the people who put in the applications are the owners and the owner is Dublin City Council. If the long lease holders are there, they can apply themselves as well. The reality is that while my office is more than willing to help, Dublin City Council is probably in the best position to gather people together. I will meet them any time about the programme but Dublin City Council is in the best position to gather people together and get this up and running. Whatever help the Deputy needs from us, we will provide it but they only have from next Monday to 8 September under this round of sports capital funding. If they apply, the fact that it is serving a disadvantaged area, and let us be honest, the inner city is without facilities, will certainly help them. There are no two ways about that.
That was a helpful answer.
We have met the FAI and are encouraging it to support clubs looking for sports capital funding. I also met the Irish Amateur Boxing Association, IABA. I really want this association to help clubs to apply for funding for boxing. I know there are quite a number of them in the Deputy's constituency. Some national heroes come from his constituency. I want to put on record that I am really encouraging boxing clubs to apply. The IABA wants to help them as well and we are available to help clubs.
54. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if the current legal requirement to have a television licence, the revenue from which goes to RTÉ to carry out public service broadcasting commitments, will be reviewed; if the consideration of providing revenue to local radio stations in respect of news and current affairs output will form part of any review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35131/23]
Funding for those national heroes is key to their future. Could the Minister tell me if the current legal requirement to have a television licence, the revenue from which goes to RTÉ to carry out its public service broadcasting commitments, will be reviewed and if the consideration of providing revenue to local radio stations in respect of news and current affairs output will form part of any review?
The current legal requirements regarding television licences are set out in Part 9 of the Broadcasting Act 2009. As the Deputy is aware, following Government consideration of the recommendations of the Future of Media Commission, a technical working group was established to examine potential reforms to the TV licence funding model.
The group submitted its report to me at the end of March. However, given recent events, it is clear that public trust in RTÉ must be rebuilt before a decision of this significance can be made. Therefore, a Government decision on the future funding model for public service broadcasting has been paused until such time as the external independent review of RTÉ is complete and the findings considered.
In addition to funding RTÉ, the television licence fee is also currently used to fund content on broadcasters, including commercial television and radio stations, through the Sound and Vision scheme. Part 10 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 makes provision for the disbursement of 7% of the net TV licence fee receipts to the broadcasting fund for the Sound and Vision and archiving schemes.
The Sound and Vision scheme provides significant support to the broadcasting sector. In addition to funding from the TV licence, since taking office, I have allocated an additional €22.4 million in Exchequer funding to the scheme. Of this, €7.5 million of this has been ring-fenced for commercial radio sector and €1.2 million for community radio. The Government has accepted the recommendation of the Future of Media Commission that the broadcasting fund be converted into a media fund to provide funding on a platform-neutral basis to the wider media sector, including for news and current affairs output. The latter will need legislative change and the approval of the European Commission.
In the interim, €6 million has been allocated in budget 2023 to establish the media fund on an administrative basis with the priority being the development of a local democracy reporting scheme and a courts reporting scheme. Both of these will support media at local, regional and national levels, including the radio sector. My Department has consulted extensively with stakeholders regarding the proposed approach and is currently finalising the broad parameters of the schemes. This will inform their detailed design and implementation by Coimisiún na Mean. State aid approval may also be required from the European Commission and will be sought in parallel. I believe these new schemes will play a key role in ensuring the provision of high-quality reporting on local authority meetings and court proceedings, which are fundamental matters of public interest.
The Sound and Vision scheme sounds great but we both know, and it is important to outline to the House, that in reality it provides funding for documentaries and one-off measures on local radio stations rather than their day-to-day news and current affairs output, which is of a very high quality, whereas RTÉ's news and current affairs output is funded continuously or was up to now through the licence fee.
The reason I support the licence fee is that prosecutions are taken and it is an offence not to have a licence. An Post can recover the cost of the prosecution in the event that it is successful. However, recent announcements by District Court judges seem to suggest - at least in those instances - that An Post will not be able to recover the full cost or the majority of the cost of prosecuting people who do not have television licences. If this continues, the licence fee will fall off and a large cohort of people will not pay it. Clearly, there are people who will pay just because it is the law but others will realise that there are no consequences for not paying the licence fee and until a decision is made, RTÉ will just move further and further into debt.
That is why I have always set out the good that comes from people paying their television licence fee. I understand the anger in the past few weeks, particularly among the public. The licence fee is a legal requirement but it is also fundamentally about protecting public service broadcasting as a public good that benefits us all. It is vital to emphasise the importance of public service broadcasting to our democracy and society. The widespread public anger at the revelations in recent weeks is understandable but we cannot lose sight of the public good that is public service broadcasting.
As I said, €6 million has been allocated for the establishment of the media fund this year, which is very much a step in the right direction for what the Deputy is seeking. We have chosen to prioritise the local democracy reporting and the courts reporting schemes. These schemes concern things that are very much of a local nature. I suspect that local radio licences will apply and if successful, will become beneficiaries of this scheme.
Public service broadcasting is indeed important but the question is how to define it. Public service broadcasting is not about telling people what to think. Sometimes one might look at the output of our national broadcaster and see a deliberate attempt to tell people how to think on major matters as opposed to reporting what happens. A lot of media - not just broadcast media - has moved into the realm of telling people what is the most appropriate way to think.
As the Covid pandemic took hold in Ireland, I recall the then director general of RTÉ Dee Forbes writing an email to all Members of the Oireachtas telling us RTÉ would unify the people. I found it a bit worrying because it was the kind of thing you might expect from a state broadcaster on the far side of the Iron Curtain 30 years ago.
I do not believe the role of a broadcaster is to unify people behind a Government position. The role of a broadcaster is to probe and examine, and it failed to do that a lot of the time with regard to its coverage of the pandemic, which was bolstered, of course, by the fact it was getting additional moneys from the State in the forms of vast sums of money from the HSE, a little bit less from the Department of Health, and indeed other Departments to fund its very one-sided coverage which was lacking any sort of probing of the appropriateness of the response.
However, in an era of growing disinformation and polarisation in public discourse and society at large, the ongoing provision of quality reporting and content is vital. It is important to draw a distinction between the actions of certain individuals and the many dedicated staff within RTÉ who continue to work hard to bring us high-quality news, entertainment, sport, music and drama, even in the midst of this unprecedented crisis in the organisation. This is made possible largely through funding from TV licence payments. I understand the anger among the public but I ask everyone to think of the absolute value of public service broadcasting to society and to our democracy and that paying the TV licence is the law of the land.
