Carl O'Brien
The IRFU is to meet residents surrounding Lansdowne Road next week to discuss its plans for a redeveloped 50,000-seater stadium.
It is hopeful the stadium plans will not face any planning obstacles as it says the bowl-like design will minimise the shadow cast on surrounding houses.
However, a local residents group said the mood among some householders was "fearful" and that no one has had an opportunity to inspect the plans.
Ms Frances Corr, secretary of the Bath Avenue and District Residents' Association, which represents around 500 householders surrounding the ground, said locals wanted clarification on a number of issues, such as the number of fixtures to be held at the ground, access to the area on match day and the dimension of the stadium.
"Some of the residents living close the grounds are quite fearful. In the 1980s they went to court over plans to build what is now the west stand, but construction went ahead in the end. Some people lost a lot of money," Ms Corr said.
She said residents did not know what the orientation of the stadium would be and whether construction was planned for training pitches behind the stadium.
Ms Corr also said some people were fearful of the impact of a "Croke Park-style" development and whether there would be an increase in the number of events at the new stadium.
Following inspection of the plans, the residents group is planning a public meeting to discuss the impact of the planned stadium.
Local councillor, Mr Dermot Lacey of the Labour Party, said he supported plans for a new stadium as long as issues of concern to residents were addressed to their satisfaction.
A spokesman for the IRFU said the organisation would meet residents as a matter of courtesy to outline their proposals.
"The project is friendly in terms of its virtues regarding aesthetics and the environment," the spokesman said.
"What we're doing in effect is putting a 50,000-capacity stadium into a 50,000-capacity stadium."
The Government is expected to decide before the end of the month whether to support plans for a redeveloped stadium at the site.
The Minister for Arts, Tourism and Sport, Mr O'Donoghue, is to present two options before the Cabinet later this month: a 65,000-seater stadium for Abbotstown or a redeveloped Lansdowne Road.
There is growing speculation the Government will opt for the latter option after the Taoiseach - a strong supporter of the Abbotstown option - said at the weekend that he was not "hung up" over the stadium's location.