Playing home games abroad a huge pity, says Ahern

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern yesterday said it would be a huge pity if Irish soccer and rugby teams had to go to England, Scotland or Wales to play matches while Lansdowne Road was being redeveloped.

But he stressed there were no strings attached to the €40 million which the Government announced on Thursday that it was giving the GAA towards the redevelopment of Croke Park.

This will bring the total Exchequer contribution to the project to €110m, which represents 42% of the €265m total cost.

The Taoiseach, speaking in Galway, said it was up to the GAA to decide whether to open up Croke Park to rugby and soccer.

He pointed out that in recent times Ireland’s Olympic and Ryder Cup heroes had been honoured at Croke Park.

The Taoiseach said it would be “a huge pity” if Irish soccer and rugby teams had to go to Murrayfield in Edinburgh, Old Trafford in Manchester or Cardiff’s Millenium Stadium to play home matches while Lansdowne Road was being redeveloped.

Construction work is due to begin in 2006, and won’t be completed until the end of 2008 at the earliest.

“This is a matter for and a debate within the GAA. They know the situation. We haven’t put conditions,” Mr Ahern said.

“The GAA is a large, voluntary organisation with its own democratic process. They will be aware that the FAI and the IRFU, in the short term, have to make decisions about where they play their games for the few years that Lansdowne Road will be closed.”

GAA president Sean Kelly yesterday conceded the association would come under “moral pressure” to open up Croke Park.

Mr Kelly, speaking on RTÉ Radio, said the prospect of Irish teams playing home games in England, Wales or Scotland would “concentrate the minds of everybody in the country”.

“The GAA are not immune from that, and the GAA will probably have to look at that in their own time, in their own way, and hopefully make a decision,” he added.

Mr Kelly said he would welcome a debate on the matter, but stressed it could only be about opening up Croke Park, and not other GAA stadiums.

“It has to be seen as Croke Park and Croke Park alone,” he said.

“It has to be debated in the context of international teams not having any grounds to play (in) over a number of years, and in that context we would be taking a decision in the GAA’s interest and in the national interest. And that’s the way it has to be looked at.”

Because this week’s grant came “without strings attached”, he said the GAA would be free to make its own decision.

“The Minister for Sport has been at pains to point out all year that it is a matter for the GAA, as indeed have the IRFU and the FAI.

“I think the association can very clearly sit back, discuss it, and if motions come forward (to the GAA’s annual congress) they can be discussed independently and (the association can) do what is good for the GAA and good for the country.”