John Kelly (Labour) | Oireachtas source

The blame game with regard to the cancellation of the Garth Brooks concerts continues but over the past week, all I heard with regard to the residents around Croke Park was a single word, around which I could not really get my head, namely, "lockdown". I was told it was quite serious and was led to believe that people around that area could not go out and buy a loaf of bread for five days. They would lead one to believe they were somehow in Beirut rather than Croke Park and that Garth Brooks fans were terrorists coming down Jones Road.
However, I discussed this matter last night with a member of the Garda Síochána. He told me that although the GAA is being criticised for not making a public statement on this issue, the association had agreed parking facilities for the residents at Jones Road, which are free and just across the road. Moreover, they get passes in and out of Jones Road at will. Local kids are employed in an array of services that are provided to the public but they will not be getting that opportunity now. There is emergency access for general practitioners and ambulances. They get tickets to the event, as well as an offer of €500,000 for either local services or some kind of local community development. People must understand that while life would be uncomfortable for them, one cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs.
It was ironic that last Sunday, two days before the decision was made to cancel the five events, a friend of mine, Shane Curran, who played in goal for Roscommon, wrote an article in the Sunday Independentheaded "A new stadium would breathe life into ailing region". Mr. Curran suggests that consideration be given to building a new stadium outside the M50 in the midlands - either west or slightly east of the Shannon - in a neglected part of rural Ireland where there is no development and obviously no intention of development for the foreseeable future.