Westlife fans who heed the Government's advice on foot-and-mouth by avoiding the boy band's 11-day series of concerts in Dublin this month will not be refunded, the event's promoters have said.
A spokesman for the Life Entertainment Industry Association, which represents the event's various backers, said "our refund policy has not changed" because of the crisis. Asked what he meant by this, he said there would be no refunds.
The event's organisers are coming under increasing pressure to postpone the Point Theatre concerts, the first of which takes place on Monday week, March 19th. About 70,000 tickets have been sold for the tour, which finishes on April 1st.
Adding to criticism yesterday was Labour TD Mr Tommy Broughan who said it seemed "incongruous" that a national music event attracting so many people should be going ahead when all large sporting events in racing, Gaelic games, soccer and rugby had been postponed.
The Dublin North East TD said it was vital that urban communities showed solidarity with rural ones in containing the disease, and he appealed to the promoters to reconsider their decision and postpone the concerts until the scare has receded.
The LEIA, which represents the Point, Ticketmaster and promoters MCD, among other groups, said, however, there was no question of the event being postponed.
The association's spokesman said it would follow the guidelines set down by the Department of Agriculture by placing disinfectant mats at all entry/ exit points and spraying cars and buses in car-parks. He said: "Obviously, we'd expect a level of responsibility from people coming from areas of contamination". However, he stopped short of saying that people from the UK should not travel.
A Department of Agriculture spokesman said it did not have the power to order a postponement of the concerts but was only able to give advice. "Our preference and that of the Minister and the Government is that these type of events would be cancelled."
Regarding the Meteor Ireland Music Awards, at the Point next Friday, the LEIA spokesman said it too was "most definitely" going ahead.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party's spokeswoman on consumer affairs and food safety, Ms Mary Upton TD, has called for the postponement of the Irish Masters snooker championship in Dublin on March 27th.
