'Don't try to prostitute our community': Locals hit back at GAA's plan for Croker projects
The GAA has said it accepts recommendations put forward in the latest effort to resolve a row with residents around Croke Park in Dublin.
Labour Relations Commission chief Kieran Mulvey has published his report aimed at settling the dispute over the five Garth Brooks concerts next month.
He has called for a limit of three concerts in a row from 2017, and a yearly maximum of nine concerts.
He also proposed a €500,000 legacy fund be provided by the GAA for local projects to compensate for this summer's disruption.
The GAA said it hoped all sides would accept Mr Mulvey's recommendations.
However, one residents group has already slammed the proposals as "a joke".
Chairman of the Croke Park Streets Committee Eamon O'Brien said he was not impressed, particularly over proposal for the €500,000 legacy fund.
"That's a joke. The very first thing the GAA did was come out with this legacy idea when they knew they were beaching former agreements and that the community would be very upset," he said.
"The first thing they were told was don't try to prostitue our community."
Mr O’Brien said that the 30-page report has nothing new in it, as An Bord Pleanála had already ruled there could only be three concerts a year.
He described the offer of €500,000 for the community as "an absolute disgrace".
"At the first meeting we had with the GAA, we made it very clear to the GAA that we did not want to be treated like we were prostitutes - like they could come up with an amount of money and the beat their chests and say 'mea culpa' and 'sure, we've done our bit'."
Croke Park residents will meet on Tuesday night to discuss the proposals .
Lord Mayor Christy Burke has seen the document briefly. He says it is not about money and residents do not want to be bought.
"There's other issues - there's the trust, there's the three concerts a year that as breached - it's gone to eight," he said.
"There was the lookdown, there is the Croke Villas area beside Croke Park that's really Dickensian, and there's eight or nine residents still living there".
"There are many, many other issues - it's not about money."
