What is a ‘community hotel’?

Sir, – Reports that the Government intends to purchase a hotel in Roscrea as a “community hotel” raises a number of issues, not least as to what precisely the term means (“Roscrea standoff: Government agrees ‘in principle’ to purchase disused hotel in town as ‘community hotel’”, News, January 16th).

Certainly, the Irish Hotels Federation would need to know what is intended and whether the State, in effect the taxpayer, will now be entering and investing in a market which up until now has been the preserve of private enterprise.

Given that the primary function of the federation is to promote and defend the interests of its members, it can be assumed that such a radical step will raise concerns, particularly in relation to competition law. The outcome will certainly be interesting. – Yours, etc,

MARTIN McDONALD,