Croke Park rugby ruled out

The GAA has emphatically denied that it is discussing the possible use of Croke Park for rugby. The statement followed a report that the association had entered into secret talks with the Government with a view to securing further funds for Croke Park redevelopment and accepting the quid pro quo of opening the venue to sports currently banned under Rule 42.

According to GAA spokesperson Danny Lynch, a submission for further funding hasn't even been formally made, let alone discussed.

The statement in full read: "The GAA wishes to state categorically that suggestions that discussions have taken place with the Government concerning the playing of other games in Croke Park are completely inaccurate.

"As part of its planning for Sport Campus Ireland, the Government has appointed a development company to oversee the realisation of the project. Any discussion that has taken place with the Government has been in that context, and regarding ways that the GAA might assist in the development.

"The GAA fully accepts that the Government is committed to the National Stadium project."

It has been confirmed, however, that discussions between the GAA and Campus and Stadium Ireland Development Ltd have covered the delicate area of which Gaelic games matches might be played in the proposed stadium.

A spokesperson for the Government project, Fergus Finlay, had this to say about the controversy: "As far as I know, the GAA has no intention of allowing other games to be played at Croke Park and the Government has no intention of asking them to do so. Neither has the Government any intention of changing its mind on the project. The tenders for the project will be out by next Monday at the latest."

With the project going ahead, it would make little sense for the Government to encourage the GAA to make Croke Park more widely available to other sports, as the venue would then become a competitor to the Government's project. With the FAI's Eircom Park going through a variety of difficulties at present, Stadium Ireland's future is looking even more assured.

The IRFU has been the project's most enthusiastic backer and the one organisation unequivocally committed to playing all their big matches in the national stadium. Were the rugby authorities to engage with the GAA they would be undermining Stadium Ireland - an unlikely attitude to adopt, as confirmed by an IRFU spokesperson.

"The IRFU have issued a statement outlining its support for the proposed national stadium and said they looked forward to further discussions on the matter. That support still stands and the IRFU would be very happy to have the capacity of 80,000 and ancillary facilities for the coming months when England and France visit.

"As to Croke Park there has been no official approach from the GAA to the IRFU - nor were we expecting one."

Had there been any unofficial approaches? "The only informal contacts between the organisations took place last year when Billy Lavery in his capacity as president of the IRFU attended the All-Ireland final as a guest of the GAA. But there have been no formal contacts."

The environment for a change in attitude towards rugby has been apparently cultivated in the GAA in recent times. Last April the former GAA president, financier Peter Quinn, made reference to the possibility of rugby being played in Croke Park in order to defray the costs of running the redeveloped stadium.

At the weekend current president Sean McCague in a broadcast interview in Northern Ireland also made conciliatory noises about the possibility of rugby being played at Croke Park some time in the future.

However, Quinn's kite was grounded a couple of days after congress as the GAA authorities restated the official line and, according to the GAA, McCague's comments were general and well short of committing the association to a revision of the rules.

At the weekend, Quinn addressed Central Council and briefed delegates on the finances of the redevelopment and the desirability of securing more government assistance.

To date, the project has received £25 million of public finances. Questions arose about the appropriateness of the funding given the GAA's refusal to allow other sports access to its grounds. But earlier in the year, the GAA made it clear that they would seek additional funds on their own merits without making any concessions on Rule 42.

The association would be justified on the basis that Stadium Ireland, when built, would constitute a large capital grant to the GAA's rival sports associations. Accordingly, Croke Park would seek equivalent funding.

How viable that argument is in the short-term is open to doubt. With Stadium Ireland still on the drawing board, the Government might not feel in a position to give further funds to the GAA as compensation for projected benefits to the FAI and IRFU.

There have been discussions about revenue potential for the GAA in Stadium Ireland, including the option of staging concerts there. The restriction on such events at Jones's Road might make the option more attractive to the GAA.