O'Donoughue starts ranting again...

[neilthemac]

O'Donoghue lashes out over Thomas Davis appeal
16 March 2007

Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism John O'Donoghue has launched an amazing broadside at the GAA over Thomas Davis' court action to allow Gaelic games to be played in the Tallaght Stadium at a time when he says they have "outright opposition to soccer being played in their own grounds."

O'Donoghue issued a press release following a report in today's Irish Star which claimed that the government had given €19m directly to the redevelopment of Croke Park.

In it he outlined all the money given to the GAA since 1998, which he believed to be over €285m.

"I am surprised and somewhat disappointed by the misleading and inaccurate statements being given to the media by some GAA sources on the level of Government Support for the GAA as reported in today's Irish Star newspaper," blasted O'Donoghue.

"It is time that the facts were put on the record. For instance, the Government has allocated almost, €114 million towards the redevelopment of Croke Park, which is considerably more than the, €19 million, being portrayed as fact by these anonymous sources within the organisation.

"The fact is that since 1998 alone, this Government has provided over, €268.5 million towards the development of facilities for all levels of gaelic games in cities, towns and parishes throughout the country. This funding has been warmly welcomed by hard-working GAA people as being of enormous benefit in supporting the fund raising and voluntary effort locally to provide much needed, high quality facilities for gaelic games in every corner of the country.

"And our support is not confined to facilities alone. Between 2001 and 2006 the Government provided special funding of almost, €13 million to assist the GAA in increasing participation at underage level, supporting the development of hurling in non-traditional areas and helping the Dublin County Board in its efforts in promoting gaelic games."

O'Donoghue then goes on to hit out at Thomas Davis' court action which has held up development work at the stadium, which he has stated must be only used for soccer and cannot be a multi-sport facility.

"In view of this unprecedented level of Government financial support for the GAA and the spirit of fairness and generosity, which should characterise sport in all its forms, it is a source of great disappointment to all genuine sports people that the stadium in Tallaght is being delayed by the action being taken by a GAA club."

The Minister saves his most damning statement for last when he blasts the association for trying to get gaelic games played at Tallaght Stadium, which he terms a soccer ground, despite the fact that Shamrock Rovers sold the ground to Dublin County Council.

"I also find it quite extraordinary that the GAA should wish to play gaelic games in a soccer ground given their outright opposition to soccer being played in their own grounds," said O'Donoghue.

Given the fact that the Irish soccer side is set to play their first game in Croke Park on March 24, there will be huge disappointment in many GAA circles at the tone of O'Donoghue's outburst.

******************************************************************************

Now, where do I begin??

* firstly that most of the money the government have 'given' out is Lotto money and so is not actually government money
* the government don't direclty supply any facilities to the public for sport so must give money to sports organisations to cover their inadequacies in this regard
*

the GAA should wish to play gaelic games in a soccer ground given their outright opposition to soccer being played in their own grounds

I thought Tallaght was owned by Dublin County Council and not any soccer club/authorities??

The list goes on...

[armaghniac]

Any chance that the voters of Kerry would get rid of this eejit.

[dublinfella]

Any chance that the voters of Kerry would get rid of this eejit.

so he isnt entitled to a reply when someone in the GAA feeds a (wrong) line to the star understating our help from the state?

bear in mind a GAA club is taking his department to court today, its hardly a surprise the GAA arent his favourite organisation today.

according to the rovers fans on foot.ie, they day went very well for them. the TD barrister talked for 40 mins about Irish language and culture and how a soccer club would 'threaten' this before the judge told him to stop the waffle and get to the legal point. the entire case hinges on whether SDCC are entitled to re-vote on an issue after an original descision was queried by a minister. all parties agreed this is the substantive, with SDCC and SRFC arguing they can. TD have to prove this second look is in fact illegal to get their review, and its hard to see how they can do so.

[dublinfella]

* the government don't direclty supply any facilities to the public for sport so must give money to sports organisations to cover their inadequacies in this regard

not true, there are dozens of municipal swimming pools, gyms, golf courses, athletics tracks, nevermind council pitches (and one soccer ground Waterford United play in), directly ran and paid for by local authorities up and down the country.

[Rossfan]

Problem is the Tallaght facility is intended to be given over to Shamrock Rovers again when the Stadium is built as opposed to being run by the Council for use by the public who pay as they use swimming pools,golf courses etc.

[neilthemac]

there are dozens of municipal swimming pools, gyms, golf courses, athletics tracks, nevermind council pitches (and one soccer ground Waterford United play in), directly ran and paid for by local authorities up and down the country.

mainly run by county councils, who are not the government.

[ziggysego]

There's a election coming up soon. Do use a favour, vote him out.

[dublinfella]

there are dozens of municipal swimming pools, gyms, golf courses, athletics tracks, nevermind council pitches (and one soccer ground Waterford United play in), directly ran and paid for by local authorities up and down the country.

mainly run by county councils, who are not the government.

Problem is the Tallaght facility is intended to be given over to Shamrock Rovers again when the Stadium is built as opposed to being run by the Council for use by the public who pay as they use swimming pools,golf courses etc.

not true. the facility will be run as a municipal soccer ground by the SDCC with Rovers as revenue generating anchor tenents. the rest of the time the ground will be used for schools finals, underage internationals etc. this is basic stuff lads, and TD arent disputing this

the original article that offended JO'D.

Davis have day in Court

Peter Sweeney

The Star - 16.03.07

Dublin's Thomas Davis GAA club have their day in court today as they seek a judicial review of the Government's decision to keep Gaelic Games out of Tallaght Stadium. Davis are seeking to challenge the Government ruling that makes the stadium soccer-only and to do this they must first win today's case at the High Court.

League of Ireland side Shamrock Rovers began to develop Tallaght Stadium and sunk in the region of €2 million into the building work before the cash dried up. It remained a building site for several years before preliminary talks involving both the GAA and Rovers appeared to open the way for football and hurling to be played at the ground.

However, Minister for Sport John O'Donoghue then decided that Tallaght Stadium would be kept for only soccer as it would cost too much and take too long to make the changes that would allow Gaelic Games in.

"We are taking this case against South Dublin County Council (SDCC), not Shamrock Rovers," said Thomas Davis spokesman David Kennedy earlier this year. "We are at pains to point out that we respect their priority use of the stadium as anchor tenants. "We have applied for a judicial review in order for the case to be heard - it has been the Minister for Sport and the SDCC who have delayed us getting into court.

"We want SDCC to go back to the original decision of December 12 2005, which was to develop the stadium as a multi-purpose facility - for soccer, Gaelic Games, rugby and whoever else wants to use it. "Lengthening the ground would not compromise the capacity of the stadium, contrary to what some people have claimed," added Kennedy.

At central level the GAA are remaining in the background in this case, but they back Thomas Davis's stance. They argue that €191m of Government money is being given to Lansdowne Road - a stadium that was originally supposed to accommodate Gaelic Games, but under current proposals
no longer will.

The GAA received €190 million in grants for the development of Croke Park, but only €19 million of that came direct from the Government and that was linked to the hosting of the 2004 Special Olympics.

[neilthemac]

THE war of words has intensified between the GAA and Sport Minister John O'Donoghue over how exactly the redevelopment of Croke Park was cash aided.

Mr O'Donoghue yesterday launched a scathing attack on the sporting association, accusing it of making "misleading statements" regarding the level of government funding for the project.

He said the Government had allocated €114m towards the redevelopment - far more than the €19m claimed by GAA sources. However, last night GAA spokesperson Danny Lynch accused Mr O'Donoghue of being "disingenuous" and pointed out that the vast bulk of the €114m actually came from the National Lottery.

"The minister is continuously referring to the taxpayers' money that went into Croke Park but, other than than €19m for the Special Olympics, the money that went into it was Lotto money. To suggest it was taxpayers' money is a bit disingenuous." He pointed out that raising money for sporting and other activities was the raison d'etre for the National Lottery when it was set up 20 years ago.

Mr Lynch said the minister's comments would "peeve some people off" considering the huge tourism revenues the GAA had generated for the State through the opening of the historic grounds to rugby in recent weeks and soccer in the coming weeks.

Earlier Mr O'Donoghue said: "I am disappointed by the misleading statements being given by GAA sources on the level of government support for the GAA.

"The Government has allocated almost €114m towards the redevelopment of Croke Park, which is considerably more than the €19m being portrayed as fact by these anonymous sources."

Mr O'Donoghue reiterated his criticism of the GAA over the court action being taken by Dublin GAA club Thomas Davis to allow gaelic games be played in the Tallaght Stadium, which is being earmarked for Eircom Premier League club Shamrock Rovers.

In recent weeks, GAA President Nicky Brennan has called for gaelic games to be allowed into the stadium in Tallaght on the basis that the doors of Croke Park are being opened to the FAI. soccer for the forthcoming Irish international matches with Wales and Slovakia.

The High Court heard that South Dublin County Council was told by Mr O'Donoghue that he would only provide funding for a soccer stadium.

Mr Lynch said South Dublin County Council had originally decided that the stadium by a multi-sport facility but that the Minister has essentially excluded the GAA from Tallaght.

Mr Lynch said the GAA did not want any special treatment, but when major new sporting developments were being built exclusively with Government funding on publicly-owned land, other sports should get a look in.

*******************

fair play Danny Lynch - telling it like it is

[snatter]

I think O'Donoghue has just scuppered any chance of soccer or rugby at Croker in 2009.
What a prat.

And btw, isn't a soccer pitch just a pitch that hasn't been built big enough for GAA?

[Bogball XV]

so he isnt entitled to a reply when someone in the GAA feeds a (wrong) line to the star understating our help from the state?

That's right DF 'our'

[pintsofguinness]

so he isnt entitled to a reply when someone in the GAA feeds a (wrong) line to the star understating our help from the state?

That's right DF 'our'

Our our our.  Dublinfella is often concerned with saying such things to sell himself as a gaa man on here 
I dont know who he thinks he's fooling.

[magickingdom]

dublinfella, correct me if i'm wrong on any of this. rovers are a professional soccer club, not in public ownership, who a no. of years ago sold their home to a developer and now what to be given a free facility to continue on running a professional club from it. none of the other banana republic on this planet would put up with that crap. athlone town were just handed a stadium after twenty five years of unbelievable incompetence.....

[Rossfan]

dublinfella, correct me if i'm wrong on any of this. rovers are a professional soccer club, not in public ownership, who a no. of years ago sold their home to a developer and now what to be given a free facility to continue on running a professional club from it. none of the other banana republic on this planet would put up with that crap. athlone town were just handed a stadium after twenty five years of unbelievable incompetence.....

What's more Sham Rovers were given a FREE site(the same one) by the local Council about 9 years ago to build a  Stadium but of course they had no money and when the Grant ran out everything stopped .
What a pathetic shower of crappy wasters.
As for O'Donoghue - he's not very politically adept is he? esp in Election year.
Seems he has a"plan" that there is to be 2 Soccer stadia in Dublin -one North for Shelbourne/Bohemians and one South for Shams/St Pats.
Of course St Pat's having a local identity and tradition in the West Dublin area dont want to have anything to do with this "plan" so why does he persist.
Surely any politician with an ounce of savvy should invite all parties to sit around the table with him and hammer out a deal to keep them all onside?
As for Athlone -with the "crowds" they get sure an oul' field along the Shannon would be sufficient  - or rent the Buccaneers place.

[dublinfella]

dublinfella, correct me if i'm wrong on any of this. rovers are a professional soccer club, not in public ownership, who a no. of years ago sold their home to a developer and now what to be given a free facility to continue on running a professional club from it. none of the other banana republic on this planet would put up with that crap. athlone town were just handed a stadium after twenty five years of unbelievable incompetence.....

Are we still persisting with this innaccurate line that Rovers, and now Athlone, are getting 'free' stadia? Its just patently innaccurate. All the indignation seems to stem from this incorrect premise. And from the same people who get hot and bothered when its suggested that CP was funded by the state.

I'm not defending shamrock rovers, but to suggest the club itself sold milltown is a bizarre interpretation of the whole KRAM events.

What you are saying magick is that when a GAA club draw down lotto funding its all right and proper, but when athlone town do it they are getting 'handed a stadium'? Its this hypocricy that drives me nuts. quid pro quo on CP opening is not the GAA going to court to get free access to soccer stadiums.

The reality is after all that TD have gone into the high court with a piss weak argument, that the council cant change their mind, despite the fact that the decision to put gaelic games in the stadium was in fact, the council changing its mind. moral arguments aside, its a collosal waste of money and a clear blocking move. which leads to the next question of who is paying for this and why arent they bringing the case?