A RURAL INDEPENDENT Group TD has described a move towards a cashless ticketing system at this year’s National Ploughing Championships as a “decision to push a cashless agenda”.
However, a National Ploughing Association spokesperson has told The Journal that the move is “100% a health and safety measure”.
The National Ploughing Championships will take place from 19-21 September in Ratheniska, Co Laois.
In a statement today, Rural Independent Group TD Michael Collins said he wanted to “emphasise the importance of preserving cash as a symbol of freedom and privacy”.
“Cash is legal tender in Ireland,” said the Cork TD, “and compelling people to pre-purchase tickets online is an affront to the people of Ireland and rural communities.
Collins added that the move towards a cashless ticketing system “raised concerns about potential exclusionary practices”.
“Farmers may need to make attendance decisions on the morning of the event, based on factors like weather conditions,” said Collins.
“Many rural farmers and residents lack access to digital payment means and face challenges due to subpar broadband.
“Cash plays a crucial role in ensuring inclusivity and preventing anyone from being left behind or excluded from events like this.”
Collins also said there were “concerns about the broader implications of a cashless society”, such as “intrusive surveillance of financial transactions”.
“A cashless society could pave the way for an accelerated drive by banks, multinational corporations, and governments to engage in pervasive surveillance of ordinary people,” said Collins.
However, public relations officer at the National Ploughing Association (NPA) Anna Marie McHugh told The Journal that “this is not something we just decided on a whim”.
“This is 100% a health and safety measure and it has been identified as a result of attendance figures in 2022.
“There are huge health and safety measures and rightly so if you’re going to bring 100,000 or more people into a field and we have to adhere to regulatory things on that and that’s what we are doing.
“We came very close to capacity on the middle day of our event last year. It’s not at all about the cash element of it, it’s about attendance figures.
“You can’t have a situation with an event like ours where you say X number of people will attend, and then 500 extra people arrive.”
McHugh added that it’s been “overlooked” by many that tickets can be purchased off-line.
“If somebody doesn’t use a card, that’s absolutely fine and they can send us a postal order or a cheque and we will send them their ticket, that’s not an issue.”
McHugh also said that there will be tickets available at the gate on any day that is not at capacity.
“Wednesday is usually our biggest day so it’s likely Wednesday will be sold out,” explained McHugh, “but it’s very possible that one or both of the other days, there will be some availability.”
The NPA public relations officer said figures will be put out regularly during the three days of the Ploughing Championships to let people know if tickets are available.
McHugh added that tickets can be bought online on the morning of the event.
“I know people have said that farmers have to make decisions very close to the event, but that’s absolutely no problem.
“People can actually buy their ticket right up to parking in the car park, once the capacity is still there to get in.”
McHugh also hit out at claims that the ticketing system is limiting people’s “freedoms”.
“This has been dubbed as being ‘cashless’ and that the National Ploughing Association is coming along with draconian measures and not allowing people to have their freedom,” McHugh told The Journal.
“This is not something that the NPA just decides, this has been pushed on us completely as a health and safety measure, and it’s something that we have to take responsibility for.
“Yes, we’re making the decision, but we’re making it on strong advice and I don’t want to be talking to the day after the event saying, ‘we knew there was a risk and we just took a chance on it’.
“I won’t do that and I don’t care what TD in Ireland suggests that we do. We have to take the right health safety measures for our event.
“If the TD has a better idea, we’d love to hear it. What is the alternative?”
McHugh added that while she “can’t guarantee that every single exhibitor” at the Ploughing Championships will take cash, she said it is likely that all of them will accept cash.
“I haven’t been told any different by any vendor and there’s nothing to say that they’re not taking cash,” said McHugh.
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