Cork delegate Bob Honohan was firmly against the motion, while former GAA President Sean Kelly was among those in favour.

Whether the FAI and IRFU will take up the offer again remains to be seen. The 50,000 capacity Aviva Stadium is near completion and the official opening has been scheduled for May 14.

A combined provinces' match - Leinster/Ulster v Munster/Connacht - will be the first rugby fixture held at the redeveloped Dublin 4 ground on July 31, while Giovanni Trapattoni's Republic of Ireland side are due to play Argentina there on August 11.

The FAI and IRFU issued a joint statement earlier this week, giving their stance on the playing of international fixtures at Croke Park and explaining that contracts are set in place for the Aviva Stadium to be international rugby and soccer's longstanding home from this summer onwards.

The statement read: "At the time of making the gesture, the GAA made it quite clear that the agreement would only be for the period during which a new home for both Ireland's international rugby and soccer teams was being built at Lansdowne Road.

"This was fully accepted by the IRFU and the FAI and indeed by the Government who are also major stakeholders in the new Aviva Stadium.

"The question of playing rugby and soccer internationals at Croke Park post the redevelopment was not on any agenda in 2005. It was fully understood that the GAA's generous gesture only extended for the period that the new stadium was being developed.

"It was on the premise presented to both the IRFU and FAI that Croke Park, under no circumstances, would be available to rugby and soccer after the completion of the Aviva Stadium, that the plans and financial models were created for the new stadium.

"Given that the Aviva Stadium provides most of the finance that drives the sports of rugby and soccer in Ireland, the best possible contracts to generate the maximum revenue were put in position in relation to all elements of the stadium.

"All of the contracts, including the naming rights, the catering contract, the pouring rights, box sales and premium seat sales, were done in the knowledge that all rugby and soccer internationals would be played in the new stadium from 2010 onwards."

In his annual speech to Congress, GAA President Christy Cooney said: "My views on the use of Croke Park were well known in the run-up to the vote to temporarily amend Rule 42 in 2005 but I think anyone would find it hard to argue that opening up the stadium to other sporting codes has not had a positive effect on the Association for a variety of reasons.

"I am acutely aware of the presence of a number of motions on the Clár today in relation to the ongoing use of the Páirc An Chrócaigh.

However, I must stress that these propose to oversee the management of Croke Park and Croke Park only. They concern no other GAA facility."

It is clear that the majority of the GAA community would like to see Croke Park remain open to other codes, particularly from a financial viewpoint as Galway football manager Joe Kernan pointed out.

"I want to see Croke Park remain open to rugby and soccer internationals. Just a matter of weeks ago the GAA disbursed some 35 million euro that had been amassed from rents that were paid by the IFA and the IRFU," Kernan said in his Belfast Telegraph column.

"This money has gone straight to the clubs and counties that form the heartbeat of the GAA, and as far as I know none of it has been returned because it is the product of what were once considered 'foreign games'.

"Let's be truthful, the money is a God send - let Croke Park remain open to our fellow sportsmen from the country's two other popular codes.

"Whether they decide to avail of it now that the Aviva Stadium will be up and running should be their call."

It seems the ball is back in the FAI and IRFU's court, but for now rugby and soccer are 'back home' in Dublin 4.