Only six members of a 19-member Oireachtas committee with responsibility for the State's tourism industry turned up for a meeting to discuss the crisis in the sector yesterday.
The joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Sport and Recreation was due to meet at 2 p.m. to discuss the difficulties facing one of the State's largest industries in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the US.
Representatives of the industry, including executives from Bord Fβilte and the Irish Tourist Industry Confederation, were ready to make presentations to the committee on the difficulties they faced when they were told the meeting could not take place because a quorum of members was not present 15 minutes after the meeting was due to begin.
Those who attended the meeting included Fine Gael TDs Mr Jim Higgins, Mr David Stanton, Mr Jimmy Deenihan, Mr Michael Joe Cosgrave and Mr Denis Naughten.
The only other TD present was the chairwoman, Labour TD Ms Breeda Moynihan Cronin.
Ms Moynihan Cronin and Mr Naughten blamed Fianna Fβil for the meeting having to be abandoned. The chairwoman said she was extremely disappointed that "not one of the 10 Fianna Fβil members" had attended.
TDs who were not present included Mr Liam Aylward (FF), Mr Matt Brennan (FF), Mr Billy Kelleher (FF), Mr Brendan Kenneally (FF), Mr John Moloney (FF), Mr Donal Moynihan (FF), Mr Michael O'Kennedy (FF) and Mr SΘan Ryan (Lab).
A spokesperson for Mr O'Kennedy said he was attending an important meeting of the Forum on Europe at Dublin Castle at the time. Mr Ryan said he was on his way to the meeting when he was informed it had been postponed.
It is understood Mr Aylward had indicated to the meeting he would not be able to attend.