GAA defiant over grant

THE GAA insisted last night the Government’s multi-million euro grant package towards the redevelopment of Croke Park came with no strings attached.

Croke Park spokesman Danny Lynch pointed out that association chiefs had heard nothing to the contrary through official sources.

“We got a formal commitment to funding from the Government which was totally unrelated to the National Stadium development. The only commitment we were asked to give to the project was that we would put 200,000 people into it,’’ said Lynch.

The commitment was for 20 million per year over three years, with a further 20 million to render Croke Park ready and suitable to host the official opening ceremony for the Special Olympics next year.

Already, they have received tranches of the money, believed to be about half the total.

Accordingly, the GAA holds they “are entitled to what was both formally and verbally promised”.

The GAA leadership supported the Campus Ireland project from the start, stating that the option of playing games there “in an evolving competition scenario” allowed the association a desirable flexibility in programming its events.

Announcing the package at the 2001 Congress, president Sean McCague said they had agreed with the Government to play a programme of games up to and including All-Ireland semi-finals. He stated the Government’s financial package, allied to the stadium’s earning capacity, meant Croke Park would never be a financial burden on the association.

The agreement on the package followed protracted negotiations with representatives of the Government over previous weeks. It was also pointed out that “at no time were these discussions connected with the use of Croke Park for other sports”.

Lynch said yesterday it was on the basis of that commitment they had accelerated the redevelopment of Croke Park, to complete it to the stage it is now at, about four years ahead of schedule.

“Naturally we expended considerably more money over a shorter space of time than what we intended, which meant we were susceptible to considerably more borrowing,” he said.

“And in relation to having the stadium ready for the Special Olympics in 2003, that was also at the encouragement of the Government at the time.”

Reacting to suggestions that the Government was threatening to hold back on the rest of the money they had committed, he said this could only be interpreted in comments made by selected journalists. They had heard nothing official in relation to this.

Lynch confirmed that a visiting UEFA delegation will be brought on a tour of inspection of Croke Park next Monday at noon. They will be met by stadium director Peter McKenna and members of the design team.

On the specific issue of the membership voting on the Government’s request to open Croke Park on a once-off basis for the 2008 European Soccer championships, Lynch said this was not up “for potential debate” until annual Congress next April.

No motion on Rule 42 (which outlines the policy on the use of Croke Park for other sports) has been submitted to the October 26 Special Congress and the closing date for motions passed last Friday.

The GAA’s position on the possible use of Croke Park in six years time for the European championship had been reiterated by McCague and the UEFA delegation will be formally acquainted of the policy next Monday.

Meanwhile the Association of Sports Journalists in Ireland (ASJI) has called on all parties who can contribute in any way to join forces in an all-out bid to salvage the National Sports Stadium.

In a statement signed by president Peter Byrne and vice-president Jimmy Magee, the association expressed regret at the recent decision of the Government which has resulted in the abandonment, at least in the short term, of plans to build a National Sports Stadium.

"In the interests of sport in Ireland, ASJI would urge that all parties who can contribute in any way to resolving the void which has arisen should do so as a matter of great urgency.

“ASJI feels that Ireland’s great reputation in international sport will be seriously diminished if the present lack of facilities is allowed to continue for any length of time.”