Objectors sell homes to IRFU ahead of stadium decision

The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has bought two houses on Lansdowne Road owned by objectors to the planned 50,000-seater stadium in advance of next week's decision from An Bord Pleanála on whether the project can go ahead.

Paul and Oonagh O'Reilly of 69 Lansdowne Road and Seán and Síle Mooney of number 71 withdrew their objections to the project last week shortly after the sales of their properties were completed.

The purchase prices have not been disclosed by either party, but estate agents estimate that either property would fetch a price of some €5 million to €7 million.

The sales were not conditional on the withdrawal of the objections the IRFU has said, but other local residents who also appealed to the planning board against the project have said they were "horrified" by the IRFU's actions.

Dublin City Council approved the €350 million project last August. The decision was subsequently appealed to An Bord Pleanála by more than 30 residents' groups and individuals in the Ballsbridge area.

The planning board held a public appeal hearing into the development last December. The O'Reillys and Mooneys were parties to that appeal. The organisation has previously acquired several houses in the area. However, they were bought before the planning hearing. An Bord Pleanála has said it will deliver its decision by next Wednesday.

An estate agent understood to be involved in the purchase of the houses, former Irish international wing-forward Fergus Slattery, would not comment on the deal.

In a statement the rugby union said: "The IRFU have bought the two properties on Lansdowne Road. The opportunity arose to purchase the properties and it was felt that having them would be beneficial to the new stadium project.

"Obviously we are delighted that the two households decided to withdraw their objections to the new stadium. This was not, however, a precondition of the sale," the statement noted.

The Mooney and O'Reilly families could not be contacted for comment. However, Sophia Wallace of the O'Connell Gardens Boundary Group, which was also a party to the appeal, said she was "horrified" by the behaviour of the IRFU.

While she did not blame the Mooneys and O'Reillys for selling their houses, she said: "They had a very good legal team working for them, but we didn't have the funds for legal representation. I'm horrified by the IRFU, the way they have behaved is atrocious, they haven't even acknowledged us because we don't have that legal backing."

A spokesman for An Bord Pleanála said that the board's decision would be based on the arguments put forward during the appeal and not on the number of appellants who were present, or who now remain.