The Tánaiste's support for Government funding for a second stadium has focused GAA minds on the huge financial costs of rebuilding Croke Park.
GAA President Seán McCague warned yesterday that the association was facing "crippling debt" if the Government continued to withhold promised grants of €38,000,000.
His comments were in response to plans for a new soccer and rugby stadium, which received the public support of the Tánaiste at the weekend.
"I'm delighted to see the FAI and IRFU making progress on a new stadium. It's a step forward. All I've said on numerous occasions is that we want to be treated equitably. We don't have to show what we're going to do with the money because we have so much done already," he said at Croke Park where he was presenting the AIB Club of the Year awards.
"We will be left with a crippling debt if we don't get further assistance. Our overdraft will be up to €70 million and we still have work to do. We told Central Council that borrowings wouldn't exceed £50 million (punts) and we certainly won't be undertaking any more work without going back to Central Council for approval."
The withheld public funds - "They were promised, there's no doubt about that," according to McCague - were to be the second half of the €76 million grant that was announced on the eve of the 2001 annual congress. At the end of last year the funds dried up on the basis that they had been conditional on the Stadium Ireland project going ahead, as the GAA had agreed to stage a number of matches in the Abbotstown venue.
Relying on the funds, the GAA fast-tracked the redevelopment of Croke Park and now faces mounting debt in the absence of public money. The northern end of the ground remains to be redeveloped. This summer the opening and closing ceremonies for the Special Olympics are to be staged in Croke Park.
That work is going ahead with the demolition of the Nally Stand, the last structure of the old ground, and the construction of a platform stage on the Hill 16 terrace. McCague said that this would be ready for the agreed dates in June.
What happens to the Hill after that is still undecided. According to McCague the GAA expects to hear from An Bord Pleanála within the next six weeks. "We'll have a decision to take at that juncture," he said. "It will depend on the decision and any conditions of the planning permission if we get it."
The GAA propose to retain that end of the stadium as a terrace and await a final determination on the matter.
The Tánaiste's intervention at the weekend was regarded as significant because the Progressive Democrats had remained implacably opposed to the Stadium Ireland project during the term of the last government. With the sudden deterioration of the public finances the idea was dropped at the end of last year.
Since then the FAI and IRFU have been encouraged to draw up proposals for a scaled-down stadium either on a green-field site or at Lansdowne Road.
On Sunday Harney said: "I understand that the IRFU and the FAI may be coming forward with proposals for Lansdowne or maybe some other venue in Dublin. Certainly, in the context of that, I am prepared to look at whatever comes on the table."
In the event of that happening the GAA is likely to look for further funds. To date the association has received grants totalling around €70 million. Although Harney refused to put a figure on prospective Government support for the FAI/IRFU project it is estimated that well over €100 million would be necessary to make the project viable.
Meanwhile in Croke Park yesterday St Malachy's Castlewellan in Down won the Club of the Year award. The club, which has 600 members, walked away with total prize-money of €17,000 for winning its county and provincial awards.
The other provincial winners were Simonstown Gaels (Meath), St Brigid's (Roscommon) and Burgess (Tipperary). They all received €5,000 as well as €2,000 for the county awards.
GAA CLUB OF THE YEAR 2002: Castlewellan GAA Club, Down.
PROVINCIAL WINNERS: Connacht: St Brigid's GAA Club, Roscommon; Leinster: Simonstown Gaels, Meath. Munster: Burgess, Tipperary; Ulster: Castlewellan, Down.
COUNTY WINNERS: CONNACHT: Galway: Glenamaddy GAA Club; Leitrim: Cloone GAA Club; Mayo: Achill GAA Club; Roscommon: St Brigid's GAA Club; Sligo: Eastern Harps GAA Club; LEINSTER: Carlow: Cnoc Arda; Dublin: Naomh Barróg; Kildare: Moorefield GAA Club; Kilkenny: Graigue-Ballycallan; Laois: Stradbally; Longford: Ballymahon; Louth: Mattock Rangers; Meath: Simonstown Gaels; Offaly: Tubber GAA Club; Westmeath: The Downs; Wexford: Rathnure St Annes; Wicklow: Bray Emmets; MUNSTER: Clare: Éire Óg Ennis; Cork: Carrigaline; Kerry: Austin Stacks; Limerick: Adare; Tipperary: Burgess; Waterford: Ardmore; ULSTER: Antrim: St Gall's GAC; Armagh: Mullaghbawn Cuchulainns; Cavan: Butlersbridge; Derry: Sean Dolans GAC; Donegal: Bun Crannaigh; Down: St Malachy's Castlewellan; Fermanagh: Derrygonnelly Harps; Monaghan: Clontibret-O'Neill's; Tyrone: Strabane Sigersons.
Winner of the voucher for €6,000 worth of GAA gear - O'Loughlin Gaels, Kilkenny.
