A local residents group has voiced its opposition to making Croke Park available for the European International Soccer Championship in 2008 claiming the proposal would further erode the quality of life in the area.
The Croke Park Area Residence Alliance, an umbrella organisation of seven residents associations who live around Croke Park said Euro 2008 would "open the floodgates" for other sporting events at Croke Park, thereby increasing the disruption and further eroding the quality of life for local residents.
Mr Patrick Gates the secretary of the Alliance said, "it is incredible to hear all the different people calling for the opening up of Croke Park, without any regard of the consequences it would have for the local population."
Mr Gates said more frequent use of Croke Park would infringe on the ability of residents to travel and local children to play freely in the area. The prospect of crowd violence seen at other major soccer events is of particular concern to the residents.
Mr Gates contrasted the atmosphere at GAA events with soccer internationals. "Unfortunately, as previous European Championships have shown us, the atmosphere that surrounds this event is nether calm or family, we have seen the horror at Lansdowne Road when England played Ireland in a friendly. That is not something we want to experience around Croke Park", he said.
According to Mr Gates, the Alliance has a good working relationship with the GAA and is working closely with the Croke Park authorities to resolve key issues of contention.
But he added "Our community has to put up with the loss of over 25 Sundays during the summer as well as some Saturdays and Bank Holiday Mondays. We feel it is unjust and unfair to ask this community to accept further disruption for the sake of the greater good, we have taken enough and we are not prepared to take anymore.
"Let the Government come up with an alternative venue for other sporting events or to invest in concrete measure that will diminish the negative impact from Croke Park on local people."