IRISH BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN fans would be better off flying to Rome and buying tickets to the Boss’s concert there, rather than attending his Dublin shows, the Dáil has heard.

Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty said this afternoon that one fan priced a trip to the Italian capital, including concert tickets, as €200 cheaper than a one-night stay in Dublin for the show.

Questioning Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan, Doherty said: “So out of control have hotel prices become that a caller, Stephen, from the west, called in to Ocean FM today to explain that the cost to see Bruce Springsteen and to stay in Dublin for a night was so high that he looked at alternatives.

“He found it is €200 cheaper for the concert ticket, the flight and a night in Rome than to travel up the road to Dublin and stay a night in a hotel here after the concert. Stephen and his friends are flying off to Rome to see Bruce Springsteen in the Circus Maximus instead of the RDS, replacing one circus with another.”

Springsteen and the E Street Band are playing three nights in the RDS in Dublin on 5, 7 and 9 May 2023. Tickets cost up to €156.

Doherty continued: “We have a Minister who wants people to travel less while the accommodation crisis in the city is making people travel more. We could not make this up. I am going to ask the Minister again, as I have been doing for weeks now, what the government is going to do about the rip-off hotel prices that are being charged in this city?”

Ryan conceded that spiralling prices in the tourism industry are “a genuine issue”, and are “not good for Dublin or for anyone”.

“What is happening has to stop. We have to find less expensive ways. It is not an easy challenge but the [Tourism] Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, will work on it.

“I worked in tourism and noted that, as with many industries, it works well when there is collaboration. It works where industry groups come together to say they must not have prices at the level in question.

“It is tempting to make huge profits but, in the long run, that will kill the industry. That has to stop.”

Demand for the Dublin shows was exceptionally high when tickets went on sale last week – multiple Bank of Ireland users said they were left disappointed because they were unable to use the banking app to complete a required verification process.

Springsteen announced the 2023 European tour last month, including two dates in Dublin. A third date was added to the line-up later due to demand.

Announcing the tour, Springsteen said: “After six years, I’m looking forward to seeing our great and loyal fans next year.”