Know Your Rights July 2026

Sing it, Joe…

atest press release from the Citizens Information Centre, issued on Friday, July 17th 2026…

And, as usual, took us a day or two to get around to it, because it’s a big chunk of layout.

Ticket Touting

I found a resale ticket for a concert, but the price is above face value. Is this allowed?
It is illegal to sell tickets for many live events, matches and concerts for more than face value.

Face value is the price of the ticket that was charged by the official seller. Reselling tickets through unauthorised channels for more than face value is called ticket touting.

Does this law apply to all events?
The law on ticket touting applies to tickets for designated events or events in designated venues.

• A designated event is an event that causes significant demand, or where it is in the public interest to ban resale above the original value.
• A designated venue has a capacity of 1,000 people or more.

You can find a register of designated events and venues on the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment website. Tickets and ads promoting the event should also say if the tickets cannot be resold above face value.

What happens if I break this law?
If you’re found to be ticket touting, you could be either:
• Fined up to €100,000
• Imprisoned for up to 2 years

What should I look out for when I’m buying from private resellers?
When you buy tickets from unauthorised sources, like secondary ticket websites or private sellers, you may have fewer legal rights if things go wrong.

When you pay for tickets from private sellers, make sure to pay securely to avoid ticketing scams. Only use websites that allow secure payment facilities, like debit or credit card, and PayPal. Never pay through bank or wire transfer.

Read more about tickets and events on the Citizens Information website here, or drop into or call Bray or Arklow Citizens Information Centre.

Public Holidays

I work full-time for a company that closes on public holidays. Do I still get paid for those days?
Yes. You are entitled to paid leave on public holidays, which means you get one of the following:
• A paid day off on the public holiday
• An additional day of annual leave
• An additional day’s pay
• A paid day off within a month of the public holiday

My partner works part-time. Do they also get paid leave?
If your partner worked at least 40 hours in the 5 weeks before the public holiday, they’re entitled to paid leave. If they took annual leave during these 5 weeks, it counts towards time worked.

If the public holiday falls on a day they normally work, they get paid for the day even if they don’t work. If they do work that day, they’re entitled to an additional day’s pay.

And, if the public holiday falls on a day they don’t normally work, they should get paid one-fifth of their weekly pay.

What happens if a public holiday falls on a weekend?
If a public holiday falls on a day that isn’t a normal working day for the company (for example, a Saturday or Sunday), you’re still entitled to a benefit for that public holiday. You don’t automatically get the next working day off, so you should ask your employer about this.

What happens if I’m on sick leave on a public holiday?
If you’re on sick leave, you’re still entitled to a benefit for the public holiday you missed.

However, you’re not entitled to pay or time off for the public holiday if you’re on sick leave immediately before the public holiday and you’ve been off work for:
• More than 26 weeks due to an ordinary illness or an accident, or
• More than 52 weeks due to an occupational accident

You can find out more about public holidays and your entitlements on the Citizens Information website here, or drop into or call Bray or Arklow Citizens Information Centre.

E-scooters

I’m thinking about getting an e-scooter. What’s the minimum legal age to use one?
You must be 16 or over to use an e-scooter. Gardaí can confiscate e-scooters ridden by people under 16.

Do I need to take a test and get a licence?
No, you don’t need a licence to ride an e-scooter, and it doesn’t need to be registered, taxed or insured.

What about safety?
The e-scooter must not travel faster than 20 km/h and it must have a CE mark on it. This is a European safety standard you should check for on any electrical goods.

When riding an e-scooter, you should:
• Wear reflective clothing and personal protective gear (like a helmet)
• Never use a phone
• Avoid wearing headphones
• Follow the rules of the road, especially for traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, and zebra crossings
• Follow signals given by a Garda or school warden
• Take weather conditions into consideration
• Be mindful of others on the road.

Where can I ride the e-scooter?
You can use e-scooters on local, regional, and national roads, as well as in cycle and bus lanes. You must drive on the left.

You must not ride it on motorways, footpaths, or in pedestrianised areas.

Can I bring a friend or family member on it?
No. Only one person can ride an e-scooter at a time. They’re not designed for carrying goods or passengers.

What about parking? And I can bring it on the train?
You mustn’t park an e-scooter in no-parking zones, like loading bays, accessible parking or charging bays.

E-scooters are banned on public transport, including rail, Luas, and bus services. This is due to fire safety concerns with lithium batteries.

You can find more information on e-scooters on the Citizens Information website here or drop into or call Bray or Arklow Citizens Information Centre.

Fair Deal Scheme

I’m in full-time care in a nursing home. The Fair Deal scheme covers some of my nursing home expenses. How do I apply to have income from renting my home excluded from the assessment?
Under the Fair Deal scheme, you pay a certain amount towards the cost of your care in a nursing home, and the Health Service Executive (HSE) pays the rest. Exactly how much you pay is determined by a financial assessment.

What is the financial assessment?
To work out how much you pay towards your care, the HSE assesses your income, cash assets and non-cash assets. They subtract certain allowable deductions (such as income tax and health expenses), leaving your assessable income. The assessment doesn’t count the first €36,000 of your assets (or €72,000 if you’re in a couple).

You pay 80% of your income (minus any deductions) and 7.5% of the value of your assets per year towards your care. If you’re in a couple, you pay half of these amounts, so 40% of your income and 3.75% of the value of your assets per year.

Is the rent from my home counted as income?
If you own your home (your main private residence) and rent it out to a tenant while you’re in a nursing home, you can keep 100% of rental income from your home. Previously, 40% of rental income from your home had to be paid towards your care.

Only rental income from your main home is exempt from assessment. If the property you’re renting out is not your main home, the HSE will assess your rental income and you must pay 80% of it towards your nursing home care.

You must make sure the tenancy in your main private residence is registered with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB), unless it’s a type of rental agreement or letting that is exempt from registration. Contact the RTB for advice on this.

How do I apply to keep my rental income?
To apply, you should complete the Principal Private Residence Rental Income application form and send it to your Local Nursing Home Support Office. Include copies of your:
• Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) registration approval letter
• Rental agreement showing the rental amount
• Latest notice of assessment from Revenue

If you cannot fill out the application form on your own, a Specified Person (such as a spouse or adult child), Decision Making Representative or Care Representative can complete it for you.

Read more about the Fair Deal Scheme on the Citizens Information website here or drop into or call Bray or Arklow Citizens Information Centre.

You can find out more about all of the above, and more, right here, or get in touch your local Citizens Information Centre in Bray on  0818076780 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm) or [email protected], and Arklow on 0818076750 or [email protected].