Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies Rock, Donnelly and Michael Healy-Rae for the work they have done and for raising this issue here. I share the concern of the Deputies and the public about the resale of tickets for major entertainment or sporting events at inflated prices. Although this concern is not new, it has been highlighted by the resale of tickets for the U2 and Coldplay concerts next July.

I met the Minister of State with responsibility for tourism and sport, Deputy O'Donovan, in late October in response to the public concern over the issue. My Department then undertook an examination of the primary and secondary ticket markets and the measures taken, or not taken, in other countries to regulate these markets.

That examination led to the detailed consultation paper which I issued last Friday together with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan. The consultation paper sets out a range of possible measures that might be taken to ensure fans do not have to pay exorbitant prices to attend major entertainment or sporting events. Some of these measures would be the responsibility of the parties involved in the organisation of events or in the primary and secondary ticket markets. Other measures would be the responsibility of the Government. I encourage all interested parties, including Members of this House, to respond to our consultation paper. The possible options for future action, including legislation to regulate the resale of tickets, will be fully assessed following the consultation process. The consultation paper clarifies that such legislation could take a number of forms. It is important that any such legislation does not cause ticket resale to be driven underground and away from the established marketplaces which at least offer guarantees to ticket buyers. The online market for tickets to major events is essentially borderless in nature. Most EU member states do not ban or regulate the resale of tickets. Irish consumers will not be better off if legislation here causes ticket resale to be diverted to countries that permit it.

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