Money may force GAA to open up Croke Park, says Toner

LOUTH GAA secretary Pat Toner fears money may eventually force the association’s hands on the opening up of Croke Park to other sports.

GAA chiefs will be monitoring county conventions over the next month to get a grassroots feel for the thorny issue of headquarters and its future usage.

And in an expression of concern, the Louth secretary said: “When full, Croke Park is a tremendous sight, but I wonder how many times a year can we fill it. The debate on whether it should be opened up to other sports will no doubt continue for many a year.

“I would have no specific views on the matter, but one wonders whether we can sustain the cost of upkeeping the stadium with it only open on approximately 18 occasions a year. I would be concerned that finance will eventually dictate what the future holds.”

Mr Toner added he was against pay for play in the association, but insisted: “The commitment a county player has to give to be part of an county team at present, whether the team is successful or not, is unreal, and while I would not be in favour of pay for play we have a duty to look after our players as best we can. I believe we have honoured our commitment in this regard to the best of our ability.”

He revealed that Louth’s expenditure on inter-county teams has increased from £22,000 in 1988 to approximately €160,000 this year. “If you add in our various underage teams I am sure the final figure would be well in excess of €200,000.”

The secretary said decisions taken recently on the SRC report, at the Special Congress, will affect the administration at county level in the coming years.

“There is also a recommendation that all counties should have an full time secretary or chief executive within five years. This is an area we will have to explore in the coming years. With the introduction of a full time secretary it will be necessary to have an office. Even at present, it is becoming more difficult to administer the day-to-day running of the board from a private house.”

Mr Toner added: “The Strategic Review Committees report contained some very good recommendations and it was very frustrating for members of the committee to see most of them dismissed out of hand. It just shows how difficult it is to have things changed at times.”

Meanwhile, the on-going row between estranged Donegal county chairman Danny Harkin and his county executive and other controversial developments have “degraded and dragged Donegal all over the press” a top official has admitted.

Her lengthy annual report wonders why Donegal has been “degraded and dragged all over the press for all the wrong reasons”.

And Ms Doherty claims she was unfairly named in the media by chairman Harkin as someone he could not work with.

“I am not blaming any one person because this is a team game played by all officers and not any one individual having control or power over anyone else. We get enough criticism from outside without public criticism coming from within.

“This past year has been one of the most difficult and at times most trying year in my long association with the GAA. The sheer amount of adverse publicity since late August has been unbelievable and unprecedented.”