Shane Ross was urged to intervene on Liam Miller match

By Joe Leogue

Sports Minister Shane Ross was urged by members of the public to intervene in the stand-off over the hosting of the Liam Miller tribute match at Páirc Uí Chaoimh — but also received criticism for doing so after he spoke publicly on the matter.

Documents released to the Irish Examiner under the Freedom of Information Act reveal

Mr Ross received a number of emails from the public on the issue, most of which called on the minister to intervene after the GAA had initially refused to host the sell-out match in aid of the late Mr Miller’s family and Marymount Hospice.

However, one correspondent accused the minister of joining “the bandwagon along with all the other political opportunists and experts” and accused Mr Ross of making a “fool” of himself.

The first emails called for the Government to intervene after it emerged that the match was to take place at Turners Cross.

There are few families who have not suffered from cancer and I do not think there would be any objections to the game going ahead,” one member of the public wrote, while another brandished the GAA’s initial refusal as ‘a disgrace’.

“It’s about time to spread out the public money for municipal stadiums and not give the GAA all the money and power… each city should have multi-purpose facilities for all sports… isn’t it time you bring all sports together and build proper facilities all around the country for ALL sports. €30,000,000 of the public money went into Pairc Uí Chaoimh and it is for the GAA to decide who gets to use it something is not right about this. Shame on you and your government,” the Galway-based writer said.

That funding proved to be a bone of contention for one correspondent from Cork who argued that the money would have been better spent elsewhere: “My issue is with the funding of €30m to the redevelopment of the Cork GAA stadium and the scandalous funding of tax payers money, [it is] absolutely ridiculous and the Government can’t provide housing and essential services for its people. The GAA are a mega rich association and would be well capable of self funding with additional supporting mechanisms.”

However, another writer was scathing in his criticism of the minister after Mr Ross commented publicly on his wish to see the match played at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. This correspondent accused Mr Ross of doing nothing to address the tracker mortgage scandal:

But now your [sic] willing & able to jump on the bandwagon along with all the other political opportunists & experts.

The writer said the “soccer fraternity in Cork” decided to host the game without a proper venue and “now you and all your like-minded friends was to put the blame onto the GAA, for something that is not of their making.”