Second U2 concert looking doubtful

The possibility of a second U2 concert at Slane this summer looked remote today after the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, said he would not intervene in what is essentially a planning matter.

This came after an appeal from U2 lead singer Bono to the Government to allow the group play a second concert so more fans could see the band.

Bono said: "What is a disaster now as far as we are concerned could be turned into just one of the greatest days ever."

Tickets for the August 25th concert sold out in 45 minutes on Saturday morning, leaving thousands of fans disappointed.

The present planning permission allows for "the staging of one event on one day in each of the three years from 2000 to 2002 inclusive. That day shall be a Saturday in the months of May, June, July or August only. The attendance at each event shall not exceed 80,000 persons."

A spokesman for Meath County Council told ireland.coma second concert would require a new planning application seeking to change the conditions of the existing one.

Mr Justin Green, of concert promoters MCD, said they had not submitted a second application to the council but were in discussion with the Government about the possibility of staging a second concert.

He said he was hoping the Government would intervene but naturally a second gig would require the goodwill of the people of Slane.

A new licensing procedure for major events - making the application process shorter and more efficient - catered for in the Planning Act 2000 has yet to come in to practice.

On Saturday tempers flared outside the HMV store on Grafton Street, Dublin when hundreds of fans, some who had queued for up to 24 hours found they were left without a ticket. At one stage gardaí had to be called and one man was arrested.

Mr Green said he thought the tickets were distributed as fairly as possible. He dismissed suggestions that many fans had lost out because of people buying over the telephone or on the internet. He said 70 per cent of the tickets were sold over the counter.