'Holidays in Ireland are no longer affordable': Tourists hit out at high car hire costs 

'With car hire charges the way they are, it doesn't take a genius to work out that if nothing is done at Government level then there will be fewer tourists and the economy will suffer.'

The Department of Tourism has been inundated with complaints from tourists and members of the public about the high cost of going on holiday in Ireland.

One family wrote about how they were going to have to cancel a planned fifth trip to Ireland after being quoted CAD$2,000 (€1,510) for car rental.