SOME €1.5 m was spent last year on gardaí policing music festivals and taxpayers picked up the majority of the bill.

Concert promoters paid over €500,000 last year for gardaí to police festivals on non-public duty but the taxpayer paid the rest.

"An Garda Síochána does not cost each individual non-public duty event," said justice minister Dermot Ahern in reply to a parliamentary question last week.

"However, based on previous costings and research undertaken, it is estimated that, on average, the contribution of the event organiser covers approximately 40% of the overall costs incurred."

Over the course of a four-day music festival, 417 gardaí were on duty, he added.

Oxegen concert promoters spent by far the most, paying €350,000 for gardaí to police the event. In contrast, the smaller Electric Picnic music festival spent €103,967 on gardaí; the Cois Farraige festival in Co Clare cost promoters €31,878 to police, while organisers at Live at the Marquee in Cork spent €35,621.

Ahern said a review was under way that will ensure taxpayers no longer have to pick up the bill for festivals and make concert promoters more financially responsible.

"A detailed analysis and review of the procedures and costs associated with policing non-public duty events is currently being undertaken... with a view to introducing a new system of charging for these services," he said.