DRUG gangs are using the unregulated area of ticket touting to launder money and fund criminal activities.
These claims have sparked Limerick TD Maurice Quinlivan to again call for the introduction of legislation to combat touting.
The Sinn Féin spokesperson on Enterprise and Innovation said that he has been advocating for reform of this area for some time now.
“In March of this year, I introduced legislation that would outlaw the practice of ticket touting, whilst at the same time protecting consumers and charities.
“However, the Sale of Tickets (Sporting and Cultural Events) Bill 2017 was delayed for nine months when it came for second stage debate in May by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, for no substantive reason.
“As a result of this delay, the practice of consumers getting ripped off by ticket touts continues, as we have recently witnessed with the Ed Sheeran and U2 concerts,” Deputy Quinlivan said.
24-hours after €81 and €91 tickets for his Irish concert dates went on sale, Ed Sheeran tickets were being offered for in excess of €1,200 despite strict anti-touting rules imposed.
Deputy Quinlivan added that “the revelation that drug cartels are also using ticket touting as a means of funding crime and laundering money highlights an additional urgency for legislation.
The Limerick TD was commenting after the claims emerged this week.
“The crimes these gangs commit are well known and well documented, and the damage their drug activities do to people’s lives is immense. To think that they can use this simple lack of regulation to help finance their operations and launder money is sickening.
“Regulating ticket sales in Ireland is an area which every party in the Dáil agrees needs addressing, and personally I am not concerned with whose name is on the legislation. It was unfortunate that my legislation was shelved for nine months for this reason, but I am determined to work with other deputies to finalise a piece of legislation that will solve this problem once and for all.
“Protecting consumers and hindering the operation of crime gangs are two worthwhile goals for a piece of legislation. Both of these objectives can be achieved with my Sale of Tickets (Sporting and Cultural Events) Bill 2017, and so I would urge the government to recognise this and allow my bill to move forward to stamp out this serious problem.”
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