GAA refuses to save Ahern blushes

THE GAA last night rebuffed a request by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to help rescue the Irish-Scottish bid for the 2008 European soccer championships.

The hard-hitting response from GAA president Seán McCague compounded Mr Ahern's embarrassment as he was forced to scrap Government investment in the planned National Stadium. The announcement came just six days ahead of the inspection by officials from the European soccer authority, UEFA, leaving a very confused situation on efforts to provide two grounds in Ireland for the joint bid.

A final choice from eight high-powered bids is to be made by UEFA in December.

Mr Ahern last night said the Government would seek private investors to fill the gap in the National Stadium project. There are plans to place newspaper advertisements on Friday canvassing bids for the development on State-owned lands at Abbotstown. Mr Ahern also called on the GAA to relax its century-old ban on soccer and open its splendidly refurbished headquarters, Croke Park, specially for the 2008 bid. But last night, Mr McCague said only the association's congress of members could rescind the ban and added the Government should have taken account of the economic downturn before proceeding with the UEFA bid.

"If the bid was proceeded with on the tenuous basis that Croke Park would be available, there could be serious disappointment and embarrassment for the FAI and supporters of the bid," Mr McCague said. A spokeswoman for Mr Ahern said the decision was taken in light of an economic slowdown and an overall tightening of spending on essential services. She said there could be no government funding in the medium term understood to mean at least three years.

The Finance Department, Office of Public Works, National Treasury Management and the Department of Sport are expected to oversee efforts to seek private investors. Despite putting a brave face on matters, it was clear the junior government partners, the Progressive Democrats, had won out in a gut struggle within the Coalition. PD leader Mary Harney questioned the wisdom of committing taxpayers' money to the project in more straitened financial times.

Fine Gael spokesman on sport, Jimmy Deenihan, said the Taoiseach's decision to finally scrap the National Stadium plan had left Irish soccer high and dry. He said the stadium shambles had squandered millions of euro in one of the greatest U-turns ever seen in Irish politics.

Labour sports spokesman Pat Rabbitte said the decision was a humiliating climbdown for the Taoiseach, which undermined his political authority.

Mr McCague offered a small flicker of hope earlier yesterday when he said they would allow UEFA officials visit Croke Park next week strictly as a matter of courtesy.