Rugby tour organiser to be prosecuted

THE businesswoman behind a controversial tour for Limerick rugby fans to Ireland’s match in Rome at the weekend is to face a criminal prosecution for organising such trips without a proper licence.

It is understood that Pamela O’Neill, a 31-year-old mother from Patrickswell, Co Limerick, is likely to face a court appearance within the next few months over her role in organising another rugby trip for Munster supporters to Italy last year.

Ms O’Neill, who is also known as Pamela Hickey, could be in further trouble with the authorities over last weekend’s tour when 300 rugby fans were left stranded for several hours at Shannon Airport.

The delay arose after the charter aircraft company, Britannia Airways, cancelled the scheduled flight because it had not been paid by the tour’s organisers.

The rugby followers were only able to make the trip to Rome after frantic negotiations with another British charter airline which provided two last-minute flights to Italy late on Friday evening.

Anxious members of the same group due to return from Rome last night contacted a local radio station in Limerick earlier yesterday to express concern that they had no information about return flights back to Shannon.

However, it is understood that two separate airlines were prepared to fly the group back to Ireland late last night.

Sources at Shannon Airport confirmed that it had received no details of the flights until late yesterday afternoon.

Meanwhile, it is understood that Ms O’Neill will face prosecution for arranging a trip under the auspices of an entity called Munster Sporting Club for a European Cup match between Munster and Treviso in January 2004.

Under the Transport (Tour Operators and Travel Agents) Act 1982, anyone convicted of not having a proper licence to conduct such business can face a maximum prison sentence of five years and a fine of up to €127,000.

The Commission for Aviation Regulation had warned members of the Munster Sporting Club that it was not licensed to act as a travel agent or tour operator.

However, the CAR does not have the legal powers to cancel flights or prohibit members of the public from using such services if they so choose.

A CAR spokesperson confirmed that the regulator would be examining the circumstances behind last weekend’s tour to ensure that the organisers held a valid licence.

Ms O’Neill could not be contacted for comment yesterday.

The Irish Examiner has also learnt that a Roscommon-based travel agency, which was wrongly identified to members of the group as being involved in organising last weekend’s trip to Rome, is considering a separate legal action against Ms O’Neill.

Another licensed tour operator, who provided last-minute assistance to Ms O’Neill in the past, said yesterday that he would “never work with her again in the future”.