Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2026
443. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the engagements he has had with the tourism industry regarding the role of online booking platforms and the commission and fees they are charging affecting the profitability of small, local tourism businesses; whether his Department has considered a Government-backed booking platform for the tourism industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14299/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department maintains regular and ongoing engagement with tourism industry stakeholders and their representative bodies, as well as with the major online booking platforms operating in Ireland, particularly in the context of the EU Short-Term Rental (STR) Regulation and its forthcoming implementation on 20 May 2026.
Department officials and I meet stakeholders and their representative organisations on a continuous basis and participate in relevant events as part of this ongoing engagement.
The most recent group meeting with online booking platforms was in Dublin on 15 January while the National Tourism Development Authority, Fáilte Ireland, is meeting the three biggest online booking platforms this week and last week individually (19, 20 and 24 February). These meetings focused on the technical implementation of the required systems to enable the exchange of data between Member States and platforms as this is a requirement of the STR Regulation.
The commission and fees charged by online booking platforms for the services they provide are a commercial matter, in which I, as Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, or the Government or State, have no direct role. A Government-supported booking platform that could potentially limit competition and restrict market access would not be permissible under EU Single Market rules. However, the Digital Markets Act (“DMA”) which came into effect from May 2023 introduced harmonised rules for platforms that act as ‘gatekeepers’ in the digital sector. The intent of the DMA is to improve competition, foster innovation and facilitate the scaling up of smaller platforms by preventing ‘gatekeepers’ from exploiting their dominant market position.
The DMA aims to ensure a higher degree of competition in European digital markets, by preventing large companies from abusing their market power, and allowing new players to enter the market. These obligations are designed to ensure new entrants can contest markets and challenge gatekeepers based on the merits of their products and services. The DMA aims to put an end to price parity clauses, which force businesses to offer their best deals only on gatekeepers' platforms.
This means businesses should be able to offer better prices and conditions to customers on their own websites or other platforms, while still being able to sell on the gatekeepers' platforms. In practice this means self-catering businesses, hotels, car rentals, and other travel channels can set their own prices and conditions on distribution channels other than on gatekeeper platforms, including their own website. This provides more choices and better deals for European SMEs and users.
Tourism remains a vital part of the Irish economy, supporting 227,000 jobs and generating €6 billion in 2024. In line with the Programme for Government, I was pleased to launch the Government's new National Tourism Policy Statement, A New Era for Irish Tourism, on 1 December 2025. This policy statement sets out the Government’s long-term approach to tourism development to 2031 and a clear framework to support a competitive, sustainable and regionally balanced tourism sector. The Policy Statement positions tourism firmly within the wider enterprise, trade and employment agenda, recognising its importance as a key indigenous industry and employer across the State. It sets out an ambitious but achievable vision to grow the economic contribution of tourism, strengthen regional development and ensure that the sector remains resilient, innovative and inclusive in the face of ongoing economic and global change.
One of the key commitments included in the policy is sustained support for tourism SMEs and a stronger emphasis on year-round tourism. The Policy further addresses long-standing challenges such as seasonality by prioritising the extension of tourism activity beyond the traditional summer peak. The period from October to May has been identified as the off-peak season, with investment focused on festivals, cultural and creative activities, business events and the development of the night-time economy to encourage year-round tourism and more sustainable employment in tourism-dependent communities.
This approach will also benefit tourism accommodation providers by helping to increase occupancy rates outside the peak season, improving revenue stability and supporting more sustainable, full-time employment within the sector.
