Seanad debates

Thursday, 5 February 2004

Proposed Stadium at Lansdowne Road: Statements.

 

12:00 pm

Photo of Paschal MooneyPaschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

It is important to make that point and I do not apologise for doing so. I accept that I have a particular agenda, particular in light of the fact that I have worked as a sports journalist for over 20 years, that I played the game and that I am committed to the whole concept. That is why I applaud the Minister, Deputy O'Donoghue, and the Government but I have also been critical of the fact that the decision has not been made until now.

Having said that, I welcome the proposals contained in the initiative announced earlier in the week by the Minister about the development of Campus Ireland. What will be put in place there has already been outlined. However, I want to make an intervention on behalf of the national Community Games movement. The latter has for several years been seeking a permanent campus to allow it to hold its wonderful games on a yearly basis. Campus Ireland will help the movement realise that dream because it is proposed that state-of-the-art facilities across the various disciplines will be provided there. The argument about Santry versus Abbotstown is specious. Santry should continue to be developed and funded and I believe the Minister wants to do that. However, what is to stop us having a multifunctional and multi-purpose indoor arena at which basketball, volleyball, etc., could be played and which would include a running track? In my view a medium sized football stadium, which a capacity of 10,000 to 15,000 seats, should be constructed at Abbotstown in order to accommodate some of the Dublin clubs which may wish to move there. I fully support the idea that facilities should be provided on the campus to allow all of the national sporting organisations have their headquarters there. The Community Games should be given full support and I am sure Members on all sides agree with me in that regard.

There has been a great deal of discussion about opening Croke Park to other sports. As a strong advocate of the GAA I say God bless that organisation for having done what it did in the face of all the begrudgery about, attacks on and criticism of its culture and that for which it stands. The GAA has provided state-of-the-art facilities across the country without receiving any thanks or making any apologies to anyone. Croke Park is a world class stadium and the GAA should be allowed to decide what to do with it in its own way. I do not believe the IRFU or the FAI have made any formal or informal approaches to the GAA to seek the opening of Croke Park. That has been a media creation and invention because it makes good copy. Let the GAA decide what it wants to do. I have no doubt that in the fullness of time the organisation will make whatever decision is in the best interests of its code.

People must remember that the GAA is competing with other codes. There has already been an encroachment in various schools where Gaelic games were traditionally played and where rugby and soccer are now making inroads. The number of youngsters who play sports is finite. I do not, therefore, blame the GAA for protecting its interests in that regard. However, it must be allowed to make its own decision.

There has been a great deal of discussion about an Irish soccer or rugby team playing at Croke Park.

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