The Association of Irish Festival Events has launched a campaign against "the intolerable burden" that the new Police Bill will place on its 360 members.
Says AOIFE chairman Ian Malcolm: "The prospect of charges being levied on community festivals for the services of An Garda Siochana must be resisted. The Policing Bill, as drafted, would appear to confer on the Garda Commissioner the power to seek payment for police services where Gardai are removed from normal crime detection and prevention roles. Minister McDowdell in media briefings after the publication of the Bill seemed to equate all events with rock concerts and professional sports stadium events and made no allowances for community and civic festivals.
"Festivals across the Republic are struggling to survive the economic downturn and the consequent drop-off in sponsorship. The proposed charges will result in the death of festivals."
Those sentiments are echoed by a well-known concert promoter who complains: "It's double taxation. You've already contributed to the funding of the Gardai through what you pay the Revenue Commissioners, so why should you have to cough up again? Which you will do when concert promoters increase ticket prices to cover their policing bill. Will the Gardai in, say, Longford give locals a refund because they're going to Slane and won't be requiring their services for the day? I doubt it."
With the European and Local Elections coming up in June, AOIFE are hoping to make it a political issue that'll have to be addressed by candidates.
"Write to them, phone them, email them and turn up at their clinics demanding that the government recognises the continuing input of vluntary groups to building and sustaining Irish tourism," is the plea from Ian Malcolm.