Sinn Fein MLA Karen Mullan
SINN Féin Foyle MLA Karen Mullan has welcomed the decision by Ed Sheeran and Aiken Promotions to invalidate tickets bought for huge prices on secondary ticketing websites, therefore preventing ticket touting for his upcoming concerts in Ireland.
She said: “I am very happy to see Ed Sheeran and Aiken Promotions taking such proactive action tackling ticket touting, which would not have been necessary if Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil had not blocked a bill by my party colleague Maurice Quinlivan TD on regulating ticket sales for entertainment events last month.
“Tickets for Ed Sheeran’s upcoming concerts must be accompanied by evidence of original purchase, and legitimate secondary sales can only take place on the designated resale partner website, which only allows resale at face value.
“This will allow real fans to buy tickets and will prevent touts and companies snatching up all the tickets and selling them on for extortionate prices.
“It is a shame that music artists have had to take action themselves.
The Sale of Tickets (Sporting and Cultural Events) Bill 2017 aimed to take the profit out of ticket resales and protect consumers from unfair market practices.
“The Bill came before the Dáil in May and the Irish government decided to kick it down the road for at least 9 months, helped along by support from Fianna Fáil.
“Although the decision by Ed Sheeran and Aiken Promotions in this case is very welcome and I commend them for taking such action, not every artist or sports team will do this, so the issue of ticket touting will persist until legislation is brought in at national level,’ she added.
