Vol. 511 No. 4
45 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he has received responses to queries raised with other Government Departments relating to the Prohibition of Ticket Touts Bill, 1998; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24468/99]
As I informed the Deputy in my reply to his written parliamentary question of 10 November 1999, my Department is currently engaged in detailed consultations with the relevant Departments in relation to its consideration of the Prohibition of Ticket Touts Bill 1998. The Deputy can appreciate of course that as this Bill was initiated as a private members Bill, Departments did not have an input into its preparation or an opportunity to carry out any prior assessment of its feasibility and implications for other services.
As I indicated previously, the views already expressed by these Departments have indicated that the Bill, as currently drafted, raises a number of important issues, including possible constitutional implications such as the rights to private property, the freedom to contract as well as a number of issues relating to enforcement, policing and Garda powers, all of which require careful and detailed consideration, before it would be effective to proceed with consideration of the Bill.
