GAA stadium Croke Park is not available to soccer and rugby

The GAA has denied that it has been asked to make Croke Park available for the Republic of Ireland's World Cup qualifiers which will start next autumn.

There has been speculation that the Football Association of Ireland wants access to Croke Park while Lansdowne Road undergoes redevelopment work.

FAI sources have hinted that Republic of Ireland games might have to staged in Britain because of the scheduled work at Lansdowne Road with Celtic Park in Glasgow mooted as a possible venue.

However, GAA public relations officer Danny Lynch insisted that the FAI had not been in contact with the association over the issue.

He emphasised that only the GAA's annual congress in April could make a decision to open up Croke Park to other sports.

"There has never been any approach from the FAI about the issue, or indeed the IRFU," said Lynch.

"In fact, both groups issued a statement that they hadn't been in official contact with us some time ago and that's the way it remains".

Despite Lynch's comments, speculation that Croke Park could stage soccer and rugby internationals within the next year will continue.

Current GAA president Sean Kelly is on record as saying that he favours making the 80,000 capacity stadium available to the other footballing codes although he has emphasised that this is a personal opinion.

A decision to open up Croke Park would generate massive goodwill for the GAA Noel Walsh

Kelly's stance is in contrast to previous GAA president Sean McCague who made little secret about his opposition to opening Croke Park to other sports.

With the GAA currently in debt because of the Croke Park development, many in the GAA feel that the association is squandering a huge opportunity to make some badly-needed cash.

Prominent GAA personality Noel Walsh had said that it would represent "a terrible reflection" on the association if the Irish soccer team was forced to play matches at an overseas venue.

"It certainly would not reflect well on the GAA if the FAI had no choice but to play their matches at the likes of Old Trafford or Parkhead," said Walsh, a former candidate for the GAA presidency.

Walsh's club Miltown-Malbay tabled motions to have Rule 42 removed in 2002 and 2003 and the Clare outfit will again attempt to submit a similar proposal to congress next April.

"A decision to open up Croke Park to other sports would yield considerable financial benefit to the GAA," added Walsh.

"The revenue generated would go a huge way towards reducing the three to four million Euro annual interest on the stadium's overdraft.