FAI, IRFU play it cool on Croker issue

BOTH the FAI and IRFU have reacted guardedly to this week's Rule 42 controversy.

The fact that Croke Park will remain closed to both sports for another year, however, has brought the prospect of their international teams playing their home games abroad for two seasons a giant step closer.

With Lansdowne Road unavailable to host matches in 2006 and 2007, both representative sides will be seeking alternative accommodation. And while Croke Park would be the perfect landlord for both, the prospects of that happening are disappearing even faster than they already were.

"The affairs of the GAA are entirely their own matter," said IRFU press officer John Redmond yesterday. "In terms of the rebuilding of Lansdowne Road, we have already stated that, while the venue is out of action, our preference would be to play our games in another suitably sized stadium in Ireland. If one is not available to us we would be obliged to go outside the country and look at the options of Cardiff and Twickenham."

Redmond's colleague in the FAI, Declan Conroy was even more guarded when replying to the latest development over the opening of Croke Park to soccer and rugby. He said it was premature to discuss the possibility of having to play games in Britain.

"First things first. We need to make sure that Lansdowne Road goes ahead at the stage we've envisaged. We'll look at the question of temporary accommodation further down the road when we come to it."

Meanwhile, GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell is concerned at the dictatorial manner in which the eight Rule 42 motions were dismissed by the GAA's Motion Committee on Monday. He believes the association's membership is in danger of becoming completely disenfranchised.

The committee ruled eight individual motions from Longford, Wicklow, Dublin, Laois, Clare, Mayo, Cavan and Roscommon were all out of order and would not be on the agenda for the forthcoming annual Congress.

As things stand, it will now be Easter 2005 at the very earliest before Rule 42 could conceivably be discussed.

The motions in question were technically out of order but there is widespread dissatisfaction that the committee did not decide to make the necessary amendments instead, which they were entitled to do.

The reaction to that decision has been predictably hostile.

"This is a blatant and dictatorial departure from anything resembling democracy, and one would have to question the structures and procedures that have ultimately delivered this body blow to the GAA's membership," said Farrell.

"This issue warrants a full and democratic hearing at the top table.

"However, the question must now be asked just where this top table actually resides; is it within the supposedly hallowed but arguably flawed democracy of Congress, or amongst a gathering of former Presidents under the innocuous banner of the Motions Committee?

"There is a very strong case for a full, objective and definitive root and branch analysis of the GAA's decision making template."

However, Farrell has urged those who forwarded the motions and other grass roots members of the GAA not to lie back and accept the Motions Committee's decision.

Instead he has urged them to redouble their efforts to have their views heard, or at least discussed. "The average GAA person has never been as far removed from the decision making process, and we would urge all units and members of the association to persevere with the difficult questions that need answering at this time," said the Dublin footballer.

Farrell also reiterated the GPA's own line on the question of opening up Croke Park to others sports, saying: "From the players' perspective, whilst we have not conducted a formal assessment of any proposal to open Croke Park, the consensus would indicate a strong disposition towards providing access on the grounds of revenue generation and solidarity with our sporting peers in other codes."