Source: PixabayFestival-goers and show attendees will be facing higher costs for some tickets as organisers' insurance premiums soar.
An average jump of 16 per cent has been noted, but some agricultural and animal-based shows have seen a 25 per cent increase.
Organisers are warning anyone who wants to take part in an adventure sport or see a show this summer their ticket prices are likely to be higher than usual because of spiralling insurance costs.
Richie O'Hara owns Bay Sports in Athlone, he says he's paying over ten grand a month for insurance.
"Over the last five years we've had four claims in total, one of those was settled, two were withdrawn and there's one outstanding. So for the tens of thousands that we put through our hands, very few claims"
Catherine Gallagher, National President of the Irish Shows Association, says Irish companies won't insure animal or agricultural shows:
"Anywhere you have animals involved at an event, it's always classed as high risk. So no company in Ireland will quote for our business, we have not choice but to go to the UK."
The Cabinet this week approved changes to the laws around Duty of Care, but Peter Boland from the Alliance for Insurance Reform says things are moving far too slowly:
"All the right things are being done, the problem is with the speed, it's not happening fast enough."
Some animal and agricultural show organisers have conceded they'll be upping ticket prices by between five and ten euro as a result of insurance.
