GAA president Mr Seán Kelly has warmly welcomed yesterday's announcement that Rule 42 would be debated at GAA Congress in April, but warned that even a temporary change in the rule that prohibits soccer and rugby from being played at Croke Park would require the support of a two-thirds majority, writes Ian O'Riordan.
It was confirmed that seven of the 11 counties determined to tackle the controversial Rule 42 had successfully convinced the GAA's Motions Committee to forward their amendments to Congress, which takes place in Dublin on April 15-16th.
Significantly, two of the successful motions only call for the temporary amendment to the rule, during the period of redevelopment work at Lansdowne Road.
But Mr Kelly made it clear those motions are still likely to require a two-thirds majority at Congress in order to come into effect.
"This is something people are jumping to conclusions on," said Mr Kelly. "By and large, motions that require a change in policy, and this is certainly a substantial change in policy, would require a two-thirds majority. This is not just about setting aside a playing rule for a short period of time. So to be making suggestions that it would require a simple majority would be premature at this point in time.
"That has been the custom and practice, and I think that is something people will have to bear in mind before they come to any conclusion about what they think will happen."
While the Motions Committee was not making any formal comment on the nature of Tuesday's lengthy deliberations, it later emerged that motions on Rule 42 from Roscommon, Sligo, Wicklow, Cavan, Longford, Kerry and Clare were deemed suitable for Congress.
It had been widely acknowledged that had all the motions been rejected, Mr Kelly's tenure as president would have been significantly undermined. "It wasn't my credibility at stake," said Mr Kelly. "It was the credibility of the democratic process of the organisation."
The talk now switches to the possibility of any of the seven motions actually being passed at Congress. As of now, the seven counties were satisfied just to have made the Congress floor, and Mr Kelly also reserved his opinion of what would happen next.
"There will be room for a full and frank debate, so people can express their views. Many people have been waiting some time to get that opportunity, and it's important that the debate is open and fair, and partaken as sensibly as possible.
"At the end of the day, we'll have to say this was debated long enough and we'll have to make a decision either way."