GAA Central Council must not act in haste

WHEN the GAA’s Management Committee and Central Council meet today they should take stock of the decisions they are being asked to make as regards the use of Croke Park in 2008 for games other than those promoted by the GAA.

We all know what was decided at Congress in Killarney in 2005 but of late there seems to be a divergence between what was required and passed by Congress and what the actual wording used at the time meant. Some people say this is just nit-picking between the ‘spirit’ and the ‘letter’ of what the change to Rule 42 meant.

The bottom line is that when Central Council decided early in 2006 on the urgency of agreeing the dates for the 2007 rugby and soccer internationals the process was based on completely false information. As was subsequently demonstrated there was only a requirement, to affirm that a venue in Dublin would be available in 2007 – not a named stadium. Those with vested interests however browbeat delegates into immediately signing contracts. It now seems that similar falsehoods are again being perpetrated this weekend to ensure that a ‘deal’ for 2008 is signed off.

It is now certain that within three weeks, perhaps even sooner, the Bord Pleanála decision on the issue of planning permission for the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road will be announced. Then and only then should the situation as regards games for 2008 season be sorted out. I have asked to be informed of any reasons why a decision must be made this weekend.

If and when the required planning permission is granted then and only then can the GAA make a decision from a position of knowledge. If the planning permission is not granted then all bets are off.

Presumably the IRFU have a Plan B on which they have been keeping their powder dry. Will the ‘old’ Lansdowne Road ground be reopened for an interim period? Perhaps the IRFU will build a new proper sized stadium on the green-field site they own or perhaps they have some other alternative which they cannot reveal until the planning permission is solved.

Can anyone in authority in the GAA tell me what difference it will make if a decision on the 2008 is left to a special meeting of Central Council in a few weeks time?

As for the question of playing soccer and rugby ‘friendlies’ in Croke Park- well this is a non-issue. If the supremacy of Congress is to be maintained this proposal is simply not a possibility. I am appalled that the GAA authorities should try and foist this new idea on the Association by describing these ‘friendlies’ (or practice games as we’d call them in the GAA) as ‘world ranking games’.

I don’t know who sent out the agenda for this weekends Central Council meeting but whoever did so should be ashamed of this attempted sleight of hand.

John Arnold

Bartlemy

Co Cork