The organisers of sports and entertainment events should make special provision for people assisting those with disabilities, a representative group said today.
But People with Disabilities in Ireland (PwDI) said organisers need not offer assistants tickets for free, though such a move would be welcome.
Intervening in the row over the allocation of tickets to assistants at Sunday's Madonna concert in Slane, Mr Michael Ringrose, CEO of PwDI, said many people with disabilities would not be able to attend such events without the aid of an assistant.
He said surveys show equal participation in society costs money and welcomed organisations such as the GAA and FAI issuing complimentary tickets to assistants.
However, he said: "We are asking that people with disabilities be shown reasonable accommodation in relation to the issue of personal assistants. We are not necessarily seeking free tickets."
He was speaking after the promoters of Sunday's concert, MCD, accused former taoiseach, Mr John Bruton, of being "opportunistic" and unaware of the facts, when he criticised the firm for not issuing discounted tickets to assistants.
Mr Bruton wrote to MCD's founder, Mr Denis Desmond, criticising the company for not offering discounts to assistants of wheelchair-bound people who had paid full price for the Madonna concert.
Mr Bruton accused the company of failing in its "social responsibilities" and said he was representing a particular disability group on the matter to highlight the general issue of event organisers failing to make sufficient provision for those with disabilites.
"We need to have a public debate on this matter. I believe that concert promoters and organisers of all public events have a corporate social responsibility in this sort of case," said the Meath TD, in whose constituency Sunday's event is taking place.
MCD said it was complying with all disability legislation at the concert, including dedicated spectator, parking and medical facilities - as well as dedicated assistants and security.
"We take our commitment to inclusiveness seriously and take issue with any suggestion to the contrary. The approach taken by MCD in its allocation of tickets is standard practice across the industry," Mr Justin Green of MCD said.
He said Mr Bruton's intervention was "puzzling" given that MCD had offered free tickets to the group in question, Meath Accessible Transport.
"We would have hoped that a public representative of such long standing would have made a more thoughtful, and less opportunistic, intervention," Mr Green said.