Over 200 Irish festivals at risk due to 'rocketing insurance costs' and medical cover

Up to 200 of Ireland's upcoming festivals are at risk due to an insurance-related issue.

Many festivals currently get HSE-approved ambulance and medical support on site with Civil Defence volunteers, endorsed by the HSE, providing emergency and ambulance support at many local events.

It has emerged that the HSE Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) may not renew its approval of certain Civil Defence emergency medical operations after July 31 this year.

Colm Croffy, Executive Director of AOIFE (the Association of Irish Festivals and Events) said:

“Festivals are already stretched to breaking point by rocketing insurance costs and this is the thing that will push them over the edge. Most festival insurers will price on the basis that emergency first aiders like Civil Defence are in attendance.

If they are not approved, the organisers will have to pay for professional paramedical teams to ensure that they can get insurance. Many cannot afford to do so; and if they can’t get insurance, the event won’t go ahead under current regulations.

"This will have an immediate impact on the Autumn/Winter 2019 festival schedule. We call on the Department of Defence and the HSE to resolve the matter straight away so our festivals can plan ahead without fear of closure".

Peter Boland, director of the Alliance for Insurance Reform said:

"Until the Government begins to address the current insurance crisis with a real sense of urgency, desperate situations like this will continue to emerge.

"For over two years now we have had a roadmap of necessary reforms in place and yet inexplicable delays in the establishment of the Garda Insurance Fraud Unit and the enactment of the Judicial Council Bill mean that we are no closer to solving this problem than we were in January 2017."

As a result, the famous Ballina Salmon Festival has announced that it will not take place this year.

One of the most significant longstanding Summer headline festivals on the Wild Atlantic Way, the Ballina Salmon Festival said its decision not to go ahead after 65 years is due to "increased insurance and general festival costs".

The festival's board of directors has said that they hope that "a new, invigorated and fresh festival can be delivered" in 2020.