John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to contribute to this Bill and thank Deputy Cowen for bringing it forward. As a lifelong member of the GAA and a former secretary of my local GAA club, I know this issue has raised its head over many years. Even though my club did not have a bar, negotiations on rates could be problematic. Whether it is GAA, soccer or rugby clubs, they provide a wonderful spirit and service to our communities. Last weekend, I was reminded of the sense of volunteerism at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence where the all-Ireland féiles were being held with thousands of children and their parents from all over the country participating. It was inspirational. Last night, I was reminded of it again, when I was out in Whitehall Colmcille GAA Club where a lifelong Leitrim and Drumkeerin fan, Sean Flynn, was honoured, a fan who never missed a match for the past 40 years. Two busloads from Drumkeerin attended the event which was full of a sense of community, unity of purpose and a sense of family. This is the essence and thrust of this Bill.

Last October, along with some of my colleagues, I raised the issue of the fivefold increase in the rates being sought from Croke Park and the Aviva Stadium. My main point on that occasion was the threat of a knock-on effect for other club premises across the country which might not be able to meet a similar demand. Obviously rates need to be paid. If a club has a bar, it cannot have an unfair advantage over other licensed premises in its area. However, rates need to be fair and commiserate. I would hope the problem can be solved by consensus.

Deputy Buttimer already raised the issue of the danger that all of the five proposed Garth Brooks concerts will be cancelled. As someone who has been going to Croke Park for 40 years, I have had some of the happiest days of my life, as well as a few sad ones, there. I was even there the day Séamus Darby scored the famous goal against Kerry in the 1982 All-Ireland football final. I appeal that some solution be found to allow for the five concerts to go ahead in Croke Park. I am not taking any sides on this or the side of the GAA. I would acknowledge looking in from outside that mistakes have been made on all sides in this but I would hope these concerts would go ahead even if it meant there would be no concerts next year or for a couple of years. At the function I was at last night, I met a couple whose son and wife are coming home from Australia soon. As a surprise, this couple have tickets for one of the concerts for their son and daughter-in-law. I am not concerned about the GAA on this but the 70,000 tickets sold outside of the country, the hit the country will take because of the decision on the concerts, as well as the disappointment and chaos it will cause. If there is a willingness to find a solution, the concerts should go ahead. I am speaking also as someone who had an aunt living beside Croke Park for 40 years. She always looked forward to the country cousins coming up on big match days. I have had cups of tea in houses on the way down Jones' Road and the banter is magnificent. I even have tickets for the Garth Brooks concert myself, even though I am not a music buff in any sense. I am prepared to put my money that there will be no trouble.

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