Tipperary Independent TD Mattie McGrath has spoken of his decision to boycott this year’s National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co Laois, over the ploughing association’s decision to “punish” attendees for using cash.
The Rural Independent politician said that he took the decision following the National Ploughing Association (NPA)’s decision to “move cashless”. In August, ahead of the popular annual event, concern was voiced by revellers that tickets for the event would only be available using cards.
In July, the Farmers Journal was among outlets to report that Ploughing 2023 had introduced a cashless ticketing system, citing health and safety concerns. The NPA said it the decision was made because of “health and safety due to record attendances in recent years” and was a suitable decision “given the sheer scale of the event.”
That decision was met with criticism by Deputy McGrath and his colleague in the Rural Independents, Michael Collins, who said that the move towards a cashless ticketing system “raised concerns about potential exclusionary practices.” He said that making people pre-purchase tickets online was an “affront to the people of Ireland and rural communities.”
“Farmers may need to make attendance decisions on the morning of the event, based on factors like weather conditions,” the Cork TD said in July.
“Many rural farmers and residents lack access to digital payment means and face challenges due to subpar broadband.
Opposition to moves to go cashless were voiced by many in rural Ireland and beyond, with the Irish Rural Association among those to call for use of cash to be maintained as an option. Spokesperson for the organisation, Jackie Flannery, told Newstalk last month that people were “upset” over the development.
“What we’re actually finding is people are very, very put out by all of this,” she said.”They can’t use their cash, and at the end of the day we’re still using cash as a legal tender.
“It’s a very serious issue, it’s upsetting a lot of people. We should be able to use our cash and that’s the big problem.”
The National Ploughing Association, in response to the outcry, insisted there were no moves to go cashless –maintained that it was a health and safety measure, with the organisation’s Assistant Managing Director Anna Marie McHugh telling the same programme:
“If you hit your capacity you have to close the gates and you have to tell people they can’t come in.
“We actually had consultations with the emergency services… and we were very strongly advised that because of what happened we really should be ticket-only this year and go [to] online ticketing.”
Ms McHugh said that “Anyone can come to our door and buy a ticket with cash or a postal order or a cheque.If there’s a surplus of tickets on the day, they will be sold by card or by cash.”
Deputy McGrath, speaking to Gript, said that while the organisation “did roll back somewhat following opposition,” it has penalised people using cash as legal tender at the Ploughing, by adding an extra €5 surcharge on those paying with cash.
The TD said that while he has always been a firm supporter of the organisation, and has long made an effort to support the local ploughing organisations and ploughing matches, he cannot support any large organisation which “restricts or penalises” people for paying with cash.
According to reports, the decision to charge an extra 5 euro has been reversed, following heavy online criticism. The NPA has been contacted for comment.
Deputy McGrath told Gript many of his constituents were attending the packed event this week, and he’d been invited to visit their stalls, but decided on principle against attending. It’s the first time the TD has missed the ploughing since the eighties.
“I go every year,” he said. “However, I made this decision on principle. I think the way the NPA has handled concerns around this, and then charging people 5 euro extra when they are paying with cash, that’s discrimination.”
The TD said he’d had a “massive response” on Facebook and across social media for sharing his concerns and his public boycott of the outdoor agricultural show.
He continued: “The NPA has been moving away from cash, saying that it’s about health and safety. But there are many other things they could have done, such as cutting down numbers, if they were concerned about limiting the entry to reduce crowd size.
“I’ve said that before. It appears that it’s not all about the ploughing anymore. This event used to be about the farmers, and ploughing and agriculture and industry, but now it’s gone into so many other things. It’s a pity. They could easily have cut back by limiting numbers, and allowing for people to pay cash on entry, but it seems to be more about profit.”
Deputy McGrath, meanwhile, welcomed news that all public bodies will be forced to accept cash payments following an outpouring of controversy over the National Car Test’s decision to go cashless – which was reversed.
The move will apply to all bodies that are not under the supervision of the government, but are contracted by the State to provide services.