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GAA officials have rejected Bertie Ahern's request that they make a quick decision on whether to make Croke Park available for the 2008 European Soccer Championship.

It was confirmed on Wednesday that the Irish Prime Minister Mr Ahern had formally written to the GAA seeking the use of their Croke Park stadium for the competition.

However, the GAA have repeated their insistence that a decision on the issue can only be taken at the body's Annual Congress which takes place every April.

The Republic's sports minister John O'Donoghue confirmed the request had been made in an attempt to secure the Scottish-Irish bid for the championships.

The joint bid to host the championships hinges on Scotland providing six venues and Ireland two.

Lansdowne Road, the home of the Irish Rugby Football Union, is set to be used as one Irish stadium but uncertainty surrounds the choice of a second.

Irish Prime Minister wants European Football Championships to be played at Croke Park
Irish PM Bertie Ahern wrote to the GAA

Mr Ahern's government is asking the GAA to grant special "once-off" permission to use the ground.

That would require a change of rules within the GAA, which would have to be voted for at the association's Congress.

At the last such gathering, delegates remained firmly in favour of maintaining the ban on "foreign" sports.

If the request is accepted by the GAA it would be the first time any sport other than Gaelic Games had been played at the Dublin stadium.

No precedent

Speaking in the Irish parliament, Sports Minister John O'Donoghue said the government wished to reassure the GAA that no precedent would be set if the request was accepted.

Two months ago the Irish Government said it was not in a position to provide funding to build a new stadium.

Instead ministers are seeking private sector funding to secure the money needed to build a stadium which could complete the Scottish-Irish bid.


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