James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The amendments made to the Bill by the Seanad all relate to the deletion of references to UEFA Euro 2020 tickets or ticket packages in the Bill as passed by Dáil Eireann. Acceptance of the amended sections entails accordingly the deletion of such references and the technical amendments made in consequence of the removal of provisions relating to the UEFA Euro 2020 football championship in the Bill as passed by the Dáil. All the amendments to the Bill are Government amendments. No amendments were moved by the Opposition in the Seanad.

The Bill, as initiated, included a provision at section 20 banning the unauthorised sale or advertisement for sale of a UEFA Euro 2020 ticket or ticket package for matches or official events during the scheduled Euro 2020 football championship. Its inclusion stemmed from a commitment given by Government to UEFA as part of the bid for hosting a number of matches during the tournament in Dublin. No matches were, in fact, held in Dublin due to the pandemic. It now transpires that the legislation will not be enacted and commenced before the end of the Euro 2020 tournament on 11 July. The rationale for retaining provisions relating to UEFA Euro 2020 as part of the Bill therefore no longer exists.

References to UEFA Euro 2020 were included in the Long Title, where it states that the Bill is to provide "that a secondary ticket seller shall not sell or advertise for sale a UEFA EURO 2020 ticket or ticket package unless authorised by UEFA to do so". The definitions in section 2 include a definition of a "UEFA EURO 2020 ticket or ticket package" as "a ticket or ticket package for a football match or official event taking place during the UEFA EURO 2020 football championship" and where "UEFA" means "the Union of European Football Associations".

The contract terms in section 19 refer to "a term in a contract between a primary ticket seller and another person for the sale of a ticket or a ticket package" and shall be void. It would not apply to subsection 19(2)(a) "for the sale of a UEFA EURO 2020 ticket or ticket package". There are also technical references in sections 20, 23, 24 and 26.

Seanad Éireann has accepted the removal of these provisions and I propose their removal also to this House.

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