Former Tánaiste Joan Burton 
Organisers of Pope Francis’ visit to Ireland frightened people away from attending the papal Mass in Dublin’s Phoenix Park, according to former Tánaiste Joan Burton.
Speaking at an Oireachtas committee the Labour TD said organisers “scared most older people in Ireland into thinking that they could not do a two-mile walk”.
“Those in charge of health and safety went overboard. People in wheelchairs were not allowed on the main avenue. Buses, which could have picked up many participants, were not allowed on the main avenue,” she said.
Asking whether Church organisers were responsible for this, she was also highly critical of ticket arrangements which divided up family groups.
“For many, these destroyed the visit because where a family booked four tickets, they got one ticket for one gate, a ticket for another gate and a further ticket for yet another gate,” she said.
Around 150,000 people are believed to have attended the Mass, despite organisers planning for 500,000.
