Ms Sarah O'Shea:

It was one of the questions asked. I am not aware either of federations receiving tickets. Coming from the International Olympic Committee, what happens is that if an athlete qualifies for the games, he or she is generally entitled to receive two tickets. Those involved in swimming only receive one because it is a venue issue, as the committee knows. I think there is another sport in which athletes are only entitled to receive one ticket, which is a problem if an athlete has two parents or family members who want to attend. If an athlete reaches a semi-final or the next stage, he or she will also receive tickets for his or her family, for which the OCI pays. It cannot pay for them upfront, but it reimburses the athletes. This is not something we are obliged to do, but the Olympic Council of Ireland does and I think it is right that it do so. What we can say is that our commitment on ticketing has been as transparent as possible in ensuring a better service for everybody affected, including the families. There may still be a difficulty at certain events in people receiving as many tickets as they want based on the numbers seeking tickets for certain events.