IRFU dispute Lansdowne Road claims

IRFU chiefs last night expressed their “disappointment” that Lansdowne Road stadium tenants Wanderers FC had gone public on their dispute over a compensation package for the club.

Wanderers have been tenants at Lansdowne Road for over 100 years, and claim that rugby chiefs have failed to provide a satisfactory package regarding the proposed demolition of their pavilion in the ground, or the provision of alternative facilities.

The club yesterday submitted an ‘observation’ to Dublin City Council on the proposed application by Lansdowne Stadium Company Limited for the re-development of the stadium and asked that their concerns are considered before any decision is made on the planning application.

However, the IRFU said that it had already undertaken protracted negotiations and offered a very generous compensation package to the club, and was disappointed Wanderers had chosen to air their concerns through the media.

The Union also pointed out it had already finalised an amicable agreement with co-tenants Lansdowne FC and claimed a number of proposals were on the table for Wanderers, including:

* A replacement, fully-equipped clubhouse within the existing Lansdowne Road grounds.

* Complimentary use of a hospitality suite for international rugby matches throughout the lifespan of the new stadium.

* Financial compensation for loss of income to cover the period during which the club will not have the use of Lansdowne Road because of its re-construction.

* An offer to provide a financial grant to make improvements to Wanderers’ Merrion Road clubhouse and grounds.

* An extension of licence agreement beyond 2017 at Lansdowne Road for the lifespan of the new stadium.

It added that a request for a significant increase to Wanderers’ current allocation of international match tickets cannot be met as this would directly affect the allocation of tickets to other clubs in Ireland.