Rugby World Cup bid influenced Páirc’s €30m grant

GAA director general Páraic Duffy accepts the Government’s €30m grant towards the €70m redevelopment of Páirc Uí Chaoimh was influenced by the pending Rugby World Cup bid.

Duffy appreciates the proposal to host the competition in 2023 or 2027 played a part in the sizeable contribution to the 45,000-capacity reconstruction as its success hinges on the full cooperation of the GAA.

Along with Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Croke Park, the Gaelic Grounds, Semple Stadium, MacHale Park, Pearse Stadium and Casement Park are part of the IRFU’s package of stadia on top of their own four venues.

“I think the Rugby World Cup was certainly a factor and probably a help for getting the funding for the redevelopment of Páirc Uí Chaoimh,” said Duffy. “We’re very supportive of the World Cup bid and clearly most of the stadia being used will be GAA stadia, and if the country wants a successful bid and we want to stage the tournament properly then we need good stadia and GAA stadia are an important part of that.”

Speaking to Newstalk’s Breakfast Show, Duffy also agreed with interviewer Ivan Yates’ remarks that the current Páirc Uí Chaoimh stadium is “a shambles”. He added: “The stadium was passed its sell-by-date. It has to go. Cork needs a major stadium. The capacity of the stadium will be around 40,000. Okay, it won’t be full on many occasions per year but I think if we want to continue bringing patrons to our games we have to have top of the range facilities. There are more and more of our families going to games, there is more and more demand for seating. We need comfortable stadia and it was absolutely essential that we rebuilt Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Either that or just knock it down. It’s not fit for purpose any longer.”

Duffy dismissed criticism from Joe Brolly in which the outspoken GAA pundit questioned his intention to form a report later this year on club fixtures and player burnout. In his newspaper column, Brolly wrote: “Much easier for Páraic Duffy to write another paper. Just like the one he wrote on player burnout and fixtures (2007) or the one on paid managers (2012). Five papers full of fine words (‘club players are the lifeblood of the association’) and worthy proposals. Not a single one implemented.”

Duffy responded: “That’s typical Joe. I wouldn’t pay too much attention. Many of the recommendations around burnout and club fixtures have come from me and I’ve driven them very hard. They haven’t all been accepted. What I said in my report is we’d bring the best ideas over the last six or seven years, put them into one document and put them before Central Council and Congress and see if we can have them accepted. This is a very intractable problem and it’s easy for Joe to throw those kind of comments.”

Having only entered his contract extension on Sunday, Duffy said he would like to do more for club players before he leaves office. “The one thing I would like to see is a clearer picture for when club fixtures can be played and we can play all our games in the calendar year.”