Kelly stands by Croker views
Responding to unprecedented criticism of a sitting president by several delegates at the Cork Convention, he said he would continue to do what he felt was good for the Association "without fear or favour".
"I wouldn't take a whole pile of notice of it. People are entitled to their opinions and I respect these opinions, whether they agree or disagree with me. That really doesn't matter," he said.
"What it really reflects is that this is a very emotive issue and that people hold very strong views on it. They're not prepared to change and anybody who suggests change is seen perhaps in some way as tainted. I can understand that. I know where they are coming from. There would be close friends of mine and some relatives who would field the same views, but we respect one another.
"The important thing is that the debate is taking place. I want people to look at the pros and cons, make up their minds in a friendly, amiable manner and make a decision at Congress not just in relation to Croke Park but every other issue.
"Criticism is something that goes with the territory, particularly if you are trying to advocate change in one area or another. It helps us to keep our feet on the ground and keep us focused.
"I have always put the Association above everything else and I promised Congress last year when I took the chain of office that there was only one thing I would consider what was good for the Association.
"I do that and will continuously do that until my very final moments as Uachtarán, without fear or favour. And whether people agree or disagree with me, I don't care. They are quite entitled to their opinions, but I will do what I believe is right for the Association."
Saying that the criticism had come from one or two individuals from an attendance of several hundred, Mr Kelly repeated that he had no apologies about making his own position clear.
However, he said he would desist from doing that now that motions to change the policy have been submitted to Congress.
Nevertheless, Mr Kelly made it clear that in the event of Croke Park ever being opened up, an exclusion order would have to be put in place covering every other single ground in the country. Accepting that people had 'genuine fears' that in time all grounds would be 'opened', he said it was something that would not happen and could not be allowed happen.
"Before anything could be considered in relation to Croke Park it would have to be guaranteed both in rule and in commitments from whoever would be involved, that it should be Croke Park and Croke Park alone. It would be absolutely crazy to go beyond Croke Park. I wouldn't entertain it. If you went one step beyond Croke Park it could open up the whole situation. That would be absolutely madness for the Association.
"When you are Uachtarán, people like to know what your views are and it's only right that you should make your views known.
"It was not as if I did that by stealth. My views are known for ten years. I have always abided by Association policy and I have done nothing contrary to that.
"We are an organisation that prides itself on its democracy, which comes from the clubs. A lot of people like to know what the views of people are in relation to it. I have let people know what my views are but I have also made it clear that it is a matter for Congress and once motions were tabled for Congress I wasn't going to interfere one way or another in the actual debate. That is what I was elected to do and that is what I am doing. And, I feel that I haven't dishonoured in any way the Association or shown disrespect for anybody.
Mr Kelly said it was inevitable that any changes would not be welcomed by everyone.
"I believe in leading from the front. Obviously if you are espousing change, it's going to discommode and upset certain people. But at the end of the day everybody is independent, everybody has a vote and they can make up their own minds. There were things I tried to promote in Kerry and some got through, others didn't, but that didn't worry me. It's better to try something and make suggestions, rather than sit back and say nothing."
In a reference to the criticism expressed by John Arnold at the Cork convention, Mr Kelly said he was disappointed with the suggestion that he did not respond to a letter from Mr Arnold about the cost of opening Croke Park on big-match days. He received a huge amount of correspondence every day and made every effort to answer letters, he said.
"If someone looked for information and they didn't get it, I regret that. The only thing I would say that if I wrote to somebody and they didn't reply, I wouldn't wait six months to say it in public. I'd get on them again and ask them, particularly when the information (sought) is freely available."
He said a 32,000 attendance, based on an average of 20 games per year, was required to make it viable to open the stadium.
"We would be concerned at the high cost of staging games here and we're looking at every possible means to reduce it," he said.
PRO Danny Lynch added that the real impact issues were health and safety. "If you open the ground at all, unlike the old days you have to open every single gate and stile," he said.
Questioned about Government comments about Croke Park and views expressed by Sports Minister John O'Donoghue, Mr Kelly adopted a sympathetic approach.
"The Government are caught on an awful wicket in one sense. People expect them to have a view and at the same time like myself in a way they have got to try and express it without being seen to interfere. I'd say that's the Minister for Sport's dilemma. He has said on a number of occasions that it's a matter for the GAA to make up their minds. He said that it would be 'patriotic' and people might have construed that as interference. I don't think he meant it that way.
"Many people would feel that the Government reneged on a commitment to us and for that reason they might be disappointed at this point in time. But the Minister has told us that he will talk to us soon about outstanding moneys," Mr Kelly said.
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