December 10 Croker decision date

THE Central Council of the GAA is set to decide on December 10 whether an application from the FAI and the IRFU for the use of Croke Park will be approved.

The application is for the use of Croke Park for three years and, if approved, means that soccer and rugby events could be staged there in just over one year’s time.

According to the Hoganstand website, www.hoganstand.com, representatives from the FAI and IRFU held meetings with GAA officials and then came together to draft an application to rent out Croke Park while Lansdowne Road is undergoing redevelopment.

The GAA stands to profit, it is estimated, to the tune of e19m from the renting of Croke Park over the expected three years that the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road will take.

The application is not guaranteed to meet with approval as there is believed to be some opposition among members of Central Council.