Tourists put off by soaring prices

RISING prices in Ireland are driving away tourists, it was suggested yesterday.

Reacting to concerns raised by opposition spokeswoman on tourism, Olivia Mitchell, in the Dáil yesterday, Tourism Minister Séamus Brennan said Ireland needed to watch its prices or lose overseas visitors.

A total of 7.8 million overseas tourists visited Ireland in 2007, an increase of 4.5%.