Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 November 2021
118. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of venues that have applied to be a designated venue under the Sale of Tickets (Cultural, Entertainment, Recreational and Sporting Events) Act 2021 since it was enacted; and if the upcoming World Cup qualifier between the Republic of Ireland and Portugal has been designated a venue under the legislation. [53011/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra123. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of applications his Department received from venue operators to have one or more of their venues designated for the purpose of the Sale of Tickets (Cultural, Entertainment, Recreational and Sporting Events) Act from its implementation in July to date. [53345/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 118 and 123 together.
Six venues applied for designation under the Sale of Tickets (Cultural, Entertainment, Recreational and Sporting Events) Act 2021 (Designation of Venues and Events) Regulations 2021, SI No. 399 of 2021. All six venues have been designated and the details are available on the Department’s website at Register for Designation of Venues and Events - DETE (enterprise.gov.ie).
As the Aviva Stadium is designated as a venue for all events held there, with effect on 28 October, the World Cup Qualifier between the Republic of Ireland and Portugal as an event taking place in that venue is captured under that designation.
The Department has established a simple and effective process for designating both venues and events. The venue operator or event organiser may submit a short application electronically seeking to have a designation put in place. The average response time, so far, for such an application is a matter of days, with designation effective shortly afterwards. Also, all operators of venues with a capacity of more than 1000 and sporting organisations, major event organisers and concert promoters were written to, both by my officials and by me on separate occasions in July and September, explaining clearly the benefits of the legislation for fans and the process involved. My officials are also following up with venue operators who have not applied for designation to date to encourage them to do so.
