Many older people in rural areas are no longer attending GAA games “as they are unable to purchase a ticket online”, an advocacy group has said.
Irish Rural Link made the submission to the Oireachtas finance committee as it considers the Government’s proposed laws to maintain access to cash across the country.
The group said that people looking forward to attending games may find they are not able to attend because they do not have the necessary digital skills or devices to buy a ticket.
“The GAA’s policy of entry only with online ticket, even for local club games, has had a very negative impact on a lot of older people living in rural areas,” it said.
“We know this is also being introduced in cinemas and also on some national rail and bus services where tickets have to be booked online.”
The Government’s Access to Cash Bill has been the subject of debate since it was announced in January.
It proposes the continued access to cash in the State, and that a minimum number of ATMs would be set per 100,000 people.
Banking groups have warned that it will “almost certainly” drive fixed costs higher for retail banks which could increase the cost of everyday banking services for customers.
However, groups such as Age Action have said it is essential that cash remains available and usable by people across the country.
At a recent Oireachtas committee hearing, Age Action’s Nat O’Connor said that access to cash is about “social inclusion”.
“It is about being able to buy something in a shop or cafe, to buy a bottle of water on a train journey, or to attend a sporting match, without being discriminated against or having your autonomy eroded.”
Age Action and Irish Rural Link are among those pushing for it to be made mandatory that cash be accepted for goods and services.
Rural Link said: “We are aware of the difficulties some people are experiencing in shops, restaurants, coffee shops who display ‘card only payments’ statements at the till or in their windows.
“Such a policy had to be reverted by the organisers of the Ploughing Championship in 2023 as it excluded the attendance of a large number of farmers, who the event is targeted at.”
In terms of travel, it said that digital skills are essential to pre-book online and people hoping to turn up on the day to book a ticket are no longer guaranteed to get one.
Meanwhile, the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (Mabs) said it is essential the legislation includes a provision to prohibit fee charging at ATMs, with the current proposals only including a “cap” on such fees.
“Fee-charging at ATMs can serve as a key barrier and exclusionary measure for those who regularly use and rely on cash,” it said.
“From a Mabs view, we would support the implementation of a fee ban for all Irish consumers as well as those consumers with EU bank accounts (who currently are charged €1.95 to withdraw from an Irish ATM).”
Mabs also said it strongly supports regulating ATMs and provisions to ensure that cash machines remain readily available for those who need them.
