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Dáil
‹ An tOrd Gnó (Atógáil) - Order of Business (Resumed)

Online ticketing consumer protection

Summary

Joe Neville raised concerns about dynamic online pricing and the disruption caused by Tickets.ie’s liquidation for event organisers and consumers. The Taoiseach said the CCPC should pursue the matter and undertook to refer it to the responsible Minister and the regulator.

Last week, when the Committee of Public Accounts met with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC, I raised the issue of dynamic pricing online and how it impacts the consumer. I highlighted how people go online with the intention of buying at one price but when dynamic pricing kicks in, consumers are quickly in the impulse buying position at a significantly higher price than that originally viewed. Over the weekend, we learned of the liquidation of the country's second biggest selling platform, Tickets.ie. This has dramatically impacted the people running these events, with potentially devastating financial losses, and the full knock-on impact of this liquidation is as yet unknown. Serious questions remain over the online ticketing industry and what safeguards we can put in place for promoters and consumers. It seems online ticketing is now the wild west of retailing. Will the Government examine what steps we can take to protect the consumer and local event organisers?

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This is a very important issue to many people. People individually have to behave responsibly as well but this is the role of the CCPC. We have funded the organisation so this is something it needs to pursue to protect the consumer. We create bodies and authorities to regulate and to make sure things are done properly and the consumer is protected. The Deputy is raising this again with me. I will revert to the Minister with responsibility for the CCPC and also with the body directly.

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