Association to probe rugby team’s use of Nemo facility

NEMO RANGERS’ decision to allow the senior Irish rugby team use of their facilities prior to the Six Nations game against England at Twickenham will come before the GAA’s Management Committee later this month.

“There is a policy of the Association there which is clearly defined,” said GAA President Christy Cooney last night.

“We will be dealing with it. You all know the policy of the association with regard to the use of GAA property.

“We will find out exactly what went on.”

Cooney declined to give a personal opinion on the matter and was similarly reluctant to discuss the rules which state that GAA facilities should not be offered for use to competing sports.

But the GAA’s stance has been widely criticised, especially in light of the decision to open Croke Park’s doors to both soccer and rugby for the last three years, a move that has bagged the association over €35m.

“When the decision was made with regard to the use of Croke Park it was clearly made that Croke Park was the only facility that would be used for other sports and for a specific period of time. That was why the decision that was made. No other consideration ever came into play and there is no other consideration in play at the moment because there is no motion to Congress around that.”