Fine Gael's Olivia Mitchell
Friday, 17 December 2010
Fine Gael Consumer Protection Spokesperson Olivia Mitchell TD has described plans by the FAI and UEFA to charge a €15 administrative fee for the Europa League final in May as 'a slap in the face' to Irish football fans.
The Europa League final takes place in the Aviva Stadium next May, with over 6,000 tickets available to Irish residents to purchase, if successful in an online ballot system.
In a statement released on Friday afternoon, Mitchell said: 'News that the Aviva Stadium was to host the 2011 Europa League final was heralded by the FAI as a massive coup for Irish football and for Irish football fans
'However, the decision to implement a €15 administrative fee is a slap in the face to fans.
'At any time this level of a fee would be considered a rip-off but it these difficult financial times it is completely unacceptable.
'Considering that tickets start at €50, the administration fee hikes the cost of the ticket to €65 and there is no way that a 30% increase can be justified.'
The Fine Gael TD added: 'Surely the FAI could see from the debacle that was the IRFU's ticket pricing plans for the November Internationals that there is a need to be more considerate of fans and their purchasing power.
'This flies in the face of the FAI's strategy for the FAI Cup final where affordable ticketing played a huge part in making the event such a success.
'The football organisation got that ticketing decision spot on and it is a shame that the same thinking wasn't applied to the Europa League final.'