Independent TD calls out Ireland's “out of control” car rental prices

Michael Fitzmaurice, Independent TD for Roscommon-Galway, has today drawn attention to what he described as an unacceptable situation of out of control car rental prices.

When eight busy European airports were examined by the Irish Examiner earlier this month, car rental prices at Dublin airport were found to be by far the greatest. Passengers at the airport have described prices as “crazy” to journalists.

Fáilte Ireland, the body tasked with promoting tourism in Ireland, has warned that car rental prices have reached the stage that they are ruining Ireland’s reputation as a good value for money destination.

“The price of renting a car at an Irish airport has gotten to the point where this is really going to hurt how competitive our tourism industry can be,” Fitzmaurice said.

“In particular, as prices remain out of control and tourists are less likely to rent a car, the West of Ireland will see a big hit in our tourist figures as people will no longer find it feasible to rent a car to travel west from airports in Dublin and Cork.”

“I have had a constituent come to me and tell me they went to eight different companies for a four-day car rental and were quoted €930. To rent the same car in Belfast would have been £200,” Fitzmaurice said.

“Car rentals play an important part in the tourist industry and we simply need to become more competitive when compared to our European counterparts," Deputy Fitzmaurice concluded.