We won't be bullied into changing our rules, warns Quinn

THE Government would be advised not to try and bully the GAA into changing its rules in relation to the use of Croke Park for Euro 2008 according to former association president Peter Quinn.

Mr Quinn has consistently stressed the importance to the association of exploiting the commercial potential of the stadium, but he also believes the general membership would not worry about being blamed for preventing the Scottish/Irish bid being successful if Croke Park were refused.

Chairman of the Strategic Review Committee, which recommended that the right to make decisions on the use of Croke Park should be delegated to the Central Council, Mr Quinn agreed it would be "very foolhardy" of the Government to engage in a subtle form of blackmail through refusing to pay over money promised last year.

"The GAA will not change its rules in circumstances like that. Without a shadow of a doubt that would be counter-productive,'' he said.

"The national interest is a completely different issue. But we will not be bullied into changing our rules.

"I don't think we owe anything to any other sporting body. What I do think we have to take into consideration is the whole social environment in which we live and the whole national interest and I would distinguish that from the sporting environment."

Mr Quinn, who trained as an accountant and later as an economist, admitted he didn't like to see resources not being used to the fullest.

"It would be totally contrary to my education and my training if I did. And, the view that a GAA background would preclude you from thinking commercially or in national economic terms would be a very serious misunderstanding of what the GAA was about."

He believes it would have been unwise to bring a motion before next month's special congress to change Rule 42 (which determines the uses of GAA property).

And there will be no motion on the agenda, as recommended by the SRC, to redraft Rule 42. Part of the redrafting specified club and county grounds would not be available for other uses: "If any motion came forward for a change of use in all GAA grounds, not only would it not get a third, it would get very few votes.

"I can tell you that there is very little mood within the association for the opening up of all GAA grounds.

"One of the big concerns is that you would set a precedent if you allowed Croke Park to be used for other sports.

"I have a very strong personal view that if you take a decision and you say you will go so far and no further, you just establish your position and don't go any further.

"But there are those who believe that if you change at all, further change is inevitable. I don't accept that view and never have.

"I just don't see any reason why we should make our grounds available on a general basis because we don't owe anyone else anything."