The Dublin Chamber of Commerce has called on the GAA to facilitate soccer and rugby internationals in Croke Park during the two-year period when Lansdowne Road will be unavailable due to construction work, writes Colm Keena.

The chamber believes that, otherwise, the Dublin economy could lose more than €100 million in the 2006-2008 period.

This is because international fixtures are scheduled for outside the Republic for the years when Lansdowne is to be closed, the president of the chamber, Mr David Pierce, said at its sporting lunch yesterday.

Former rugby international Keith Wood was the guest speaker.

"Economic impact surveys have shown that large sports events generate revenues for the local and national economy. In the case of large international sporting fixtures such as the Six Nations matches or international football fixtures, revenues in excess of €10 million per event from out of State visitors are typical, sustaining more than 300 jobs a year per event."

The current proposals for Lansdowne allow for a two-year construction period during which all rugby and soccer games will have to be played at significantly smaller venues around Ireland or moved to an alternative location abroad, most likely the UK.

"The effect will be that the Dublin economy will lose out on the significant revenue that these games generate," said Mr Pierce.