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Kelly will not add further to Croke Park debate

GAA :  The president of the GAA, Seán Kelly, will not be contributing any further to the raging debate on the use of Croke Park…

Fri Jan 23 2004 - 00:00

GAA:  The president of the GAA, Seán Kelly, will not be contributing any further to the raging debate on the use of Croke Park, he insisted yesterday.

Speaking at a press conference in Phoenix, Arizona, where he is leading the Vodafone All Stars hurlers tour, Kelly said he would not be making further public comment on the issue until it is debated at the GAA's annual congress in April.

He was unaware at the time of the contents of an open letter from one of his predecessors in the office, Jack Boothman, to the national newspapers in Ireland in which he said a decision to open Croke Park would be detrimental to the GAA.

Asked about the issue, Kelly said: "My views are known. At this stage I think it is better for the debate to continue amongst our members and I will let congress decide, one way or the other, what to do."

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He was more vocal on the issue of disciplinary procedures in the GAA and indicated he would support proposed changes to the way disciplinary matters are handled.

He also added he wanted the months of December and January to once again count as periods of suspension.

"Our system is too convoluted," he said.

He will support splitting the duties of the Games Administration Committee, with one group dealing with fixtures and a separate group dealing with disciplinary matters.

On other matters Kelly said he wanted to see every county develop at least one of their grounds with floodlights.

"Currently we have just two grounds that are capable of holding major fixtures under floodlights and that is just not enough."

The association's president is also very anxious to engage in dialogue with the players on the various issues that affect them.

Kelly said that he was disappointed that proposed elections for a new players' committee had not taken place but he is still open to discussions.

"I don't want to force a them-and-us situation," he said. "We need a forum in which we can discuss all the matters that are of concern for the players and for us as officials and I hope that we will reach agreement very soon on that."