Insurance costs threaten festivals and concerts

A GROWING number of summer festivals and concerts will be cancelled this year because of the hike in the cost of insurance cover, the Association of Irish Festival Events (AOIFE) has warned.

With premiums set to rise by up to 45%, AOIFE chairman Colm Croffy said groups or organisations planning to hold events without cover are playing Russian Roulette and are entering a legal minefield.

Mr Croffy said the cost of such cover will continue to increase until the number of claims is reduced: