McDaid supports Lansdowne security crackdown

The Minister for Sport Dr Jim McDaid is supporting a planned crackdown on blackmarket tickets for next weekend’s crucial Ireland game against Portugal, even if it means that thousands of seats will be left empty.

It is feared that up to 2,000 tickets intended for Portugese fans are on sale on the British blackmarket.

Gardai are planning to prevent any non-Portugese fans in possession of the tickets from entering the ground.

Minister McDaid says even if it means having empty seats there is no point in putting the profile of the country at risk at such an event.

He says we cannot afford to have the tickets falling into "louts from any country".

The FAI is discussing the situation and is expected to release a statement later.