Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Bill and the support it has received from the Cabinet. It is important that we put in place measures to tackle ticket touting. As society continues to reopen and as live events open again to the public, hopefully soon albeit with restricted numbers, it is safe to say that tickets will be in high demand. It is, however, disappointing that it has taken so long to get to this stage. It is four years since my colleague, an Teachta Quinlivan, introduced anti-ticket touting legislation to the Dáil, only to have it blocked by the Government. In the past, Fine Gael claimed, on the one hand, that it wanted to put an end to ticket touting while, on the other hand, actively putting up barriers against ticket touting legislation.

I hope this legislation can be enacted as soon as possible for the benefit of music and sports fans as we open up live events. Sporting events are so important to so many of us. That includes going to watch a game of cricket in Claremont Road in Sandymount, which is a great community hub. Unfortunately, the YMCA is trying to sell the ground, which would be a major loss to the local Sandymount community and a great blow to the cricketing community. The cricket club has been in Sandymount for 110 years and the YMCA is now trying to extinguish this amazing facility.

The club was developing the facility as a hub for cricket development. It is vital to preserve facilities like Claremont Road and I urge the YMCA to reflect on its plans to sell off the site. In my view, the sale of the YMCA grounds is contrary to its own ethos. The State has invested in this site and the facilities of the YMCA over the years but now the YMCA just wants to pack up and go off. It is not acceptable. I believe there needs to be Government intervention.

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