It appears that the attempt by the biggest, most venerable rock band in the world to play two concerts in their hometown is - in the words of one of their songs - running to stand still. It should have been a relatively straightforward affair. U2 had hoped to play two concerts in Dublin as part of a world tour that has seen them criss-cross the United States and which has now moved onto an extensive European leg.
But yesterday, after a tortuous legal journey, the High Court refused to grant permission for the two proposed concerts at Lansdowne Road. An appeal to the Supreme Court is under consideration. But for now the residents will savour their victory, while some 80,000 fans and the band itself can only wait and hope. The local residents are fully entitled to exercise their rights. A rock concert on the scale of that planned by U2 will necessarily affect the quality of their daily lives with increased noise and disruption in the general area - plus the mountain of beer cartons, chip bags and other litter that will be left behind.
The problem is that there are few other suitable venues. Croke Park has already used up its quota of 'special events' with the Garth Brooks concerts earlier this year, while some other venues are too small to accommodate the numbers involved. And the staging of rock concerts at Slane Castle, the idyllic location for memorable concerts by Bruce Springsteen and The Rolling Stones, is now considered impractical because of potential planning difficulties.
It is a shambles. And it is difficult not to feel some sympathy for the band's management and promoters who secured the support of Dublin Corporation only to find that their plans for the elaborate and hugely expensive concerts were again under threat - at the eleventh hour. But there are wider questions raised by the sorry episode. Part of the problem, as the National Youth Council pointed out yesterday, is the absence of legal or regulatory criteria for the organisation of rock concerts. Yesterday's decision was based on legal precedent rather than on any precise legislation. A move by government to provide some more precise guidelines is overdue; no one would want to trample on the rights of residents groups but the law should also be designed to strike a reasonable balance between the needs of any one pressure group and the overall requirements of society.
One other issue might be addressed; even if they were available, neither Croke Park nor Lansdowne Road is an ideal venue for rock concerts. Most other EU capitals have custom-built facilities on the outskirts which can comfortably accommodate major events. The Government might seriously consider investment in a similar facility outside Dublin, which could also serve as a major conference centre. And it would allow Dublin to vie for major sporting events - from which we are now all but excluded - such as the Athletics Grand Prix series or major European soccer finals.