Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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140. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on whether the Sale of Tickets (Cultural, Entertainment, Recreational and Sporting Events) Act 2021 should apply to tickets (details supplied), which sometimes run at up to six times the face value of the ticket, given that said package does not include any extras; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8372/23]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Sale of Tickets (Cultural, Entertainment, Recreational and Sporting Events) Act 2021 regulates the secondary ticket market where tickets are resold after their original purchase from the primary ticket market and where tickets are more likely to be sold above their original sale price. In this case, secondary ticket sellers, who have no connection to the cultural, entertainment or sporting industry, are benefiting from resales.

The details supplied by the Deputy refer to tickets that are not resale tickets and are being sold for the first time. These tickets provide fans with access to the most in-demand tickets in a venue, i.e., premium seats for a popular event. This is common practice among business to sell tickets that are of premium value at a different price to those that are generally on sale. For instance, airlines and hotels offer seats or rooms respectively that are of a higher quality at a higher price. Buyers are aware in advance of making a booking of what is on offer and choose their purchase accordingly. These are the normal parameters of trade and are market driven, where buyers compete on a supply/demand basis. It would not be appropriate for the State to interfere in the market in this instance.