RUGBY/IRFU offers: Johnny Watterson tries to tease out the pros and cons as club and union dig their heels in

It's probably what neither side wanted but the Wanderers disagreement with the IRFU over a number of issues including the demolition and relocation of their pavilion in Lansdowne Road, has escalated.

Yesterday the club, a founding member and current co-tenant of the stadium, accused the union of breaching confidentiality and excluding them from the consultation process on the issue of the relocation of their pavilion, currently at the corner between the West Stand and terraces at the Lansdowne Road end.

The IRFU denied both accusations yesterday as the two sides became more polarised.

Unusually for the IRFU, this dispute has wriggled out of their control and landed with a splat right in the public domain, exactly where they did not want it to be fought.

The observation, or objection, Wanderers submitted to Dublin City Council at the 11th hour on Wednesday now has the potential to delay the €356-million redevelopment of the stadium.

There has been a deafening silence from the FAI and Sports Minister John O'Donoghue on the issue of IRFU housekeeping.

Wanderers yesterday said if the IRFU agreed the same deal with them as they had with Lansdowne RFC, whose pavilion is also to be demolished, there would be no dispute.

A number of interim and long-term measures have been agreed with Lansdowne, who yesterday said their deal with the union was finalised amicably and professionally. Wanderers are simply saying it's a different deal and they wish they had it.

The third-division club's ire stems from what they believe was "an IRFU promise to Wanderers in writing that any new facility would be located within the new stadium".

They also claim that "without any further consultation" they (Wanderers) were told seven months later and just before the public announcement of the detail of the new stadium that the new pavilion "would not be within the confines of the new stadium but on the second floor of a multi-purpose building".

That multi-purpose building is to be close to the site of the current Lansdowne clubhouse, on the back pitches behind the East Stand.

Wanderers point out that not only is it not part of the stadium but is "the farthest point from it".

It is proposed they share that building with Lansdowne and IRFU administration.

"We never received any detailed drawing of the fully equipped clubhouse, nor did we see specifications or budgets for the clubhouse," said a Wanderers spokesman, who added the proposed location was moved three times and said, "it defies belief that with so much uncertainty all this was not finalised prior to lodging planning application."

Wanderers also say their board believe "the revised plan is in the worst location possible and is totally unacceptable to the club".

And they claim the IRFU have "breached confidentiality by disclosing details of their proposals to Wanderers and this makes it even more difficult to reach a resolution".

So what are Lansdowne getting? The figures vary but the Lansdowne deal has been put at €8 million and involves the club using the RDS for matches and training in a shared agreement with the Leinster Branch while the Lansdowne Road redevelopment takes place.

In the redevelopment interim, they will also get a fully-fitted clubhouse at the RDS, additional training facilities at another club in Dublin 4, yet to be agreed, compensation for loss of earnings during redevelopment and all ground maintenance paid for by the union.

In the long term Lansdowne will receive a brand new clubhouse in Lansdowne Road and, importantly, a ring-fenced ticket allocation with an agreement to be allowed buy an undisclosed number of premium seats for international matches.

The IRFU say they don't do ticket deals and can't do ticket deals, yet a Lansdowne official and IRFU chief executive Philip Browne said yesterday an agreement was struck on tickets.

"Yes, we offered them (Lansdowne) a ticket deal. The deal with respect to Lansdowne was fair and equitable. It was a similar deal with Wanderers," said Browne.

In addition Wanderers say they have been offered a new clubhouse of 2,000 square feet, which is equal to the existing space but in an unsuitable location; a corporate box for up to 12 people for IRFU fixtures only; no deal on tickets but instead a reduction of 10 per cent on their allocation; the loss of their existing pavilion and - instead of an RDS deal like Lansdowne got - a non-refundable grant to upgrade their ground at Merrion Road to senior club status, which they estimate is worth approximately €200,000; rent of another pitch worth €50,000 per annum and compensation for loss of earnings while the pavilion bar is closed.

"The bottom line was that when the architects came on board in May/June of last year, they were given instructions to include Wanderers in the stadium," says Browne.

"They indicated that given the constraints and design it was not possible to do that. When we received that information, we had a meeting with Wanderers before going public and outlined what was being said.

"But the issue is more fundamental," he added.

"What is being asked is things that cannot be delivered and some of it centres around tickets. We cannot do that.

"Wanderers have a bar, not a clubhouse, and we have tried to provide them with a similar revenue-generating facility . . . I understand the emotion of them not wanting to move from that site they are currently on.

"The issue now is how can we resolve it."

Browne also insists the IRFU did not breach confidentiality regarding their negotiations with Wanderers.

"The people who breached confidentiality were Wanderers, who went public yesterday," said the chief executive.

"To be honest we have tried our very best to reach agreement. We will reach agreement on behalf of Irish rugby.

"If we want international football to be played there, then we have to work together. Unfortunately there are things we cannot deliver."What Lansdowne get

- New clubhouse on same location (permanent)

- Use of RDS for matches (interim)

- Fully fitted clubhouse within RDS complex (interim)

- Ring-fenced international ticket allocation (permanent)

What Wanderers get

- New pavilion on different (unwanted) location (permanent)

- Merrion Road clubhouse refurbished (permanent)

- No deal on tickets (permanent)

- Corporate box usage for 12 people on match days (permanent)