Sir, - Let's see if I understand the £60 million offer of our money to the GAA. It appears to have been offered the money to ensure that foreign games would not be played at Croke Park (thereby strengthening the case for Stadium Ireland), and on the understanding that some key GAA matches would be played at the folly. In effect, does this mean that the payment is designed to ensure that Croke Park will be underutilised?
Just how far are our politicians willing to go to support an ego trip which could cost a billion or so by the time it is built? How will its annual financial costs of, say, £60 million be met? That amount equates to a Croke Park "donation" for every year to infinity! Surely, this money could be better used - to reduce the national debt, improve the infrastructure, assist the underprivileged and so on. - Yours, etc.,
Brian Flanagan, Blackrock, Co Dublin.