Tyrrelstown GAA Club are trying to prevent NAMA from proceeding with their planned sale of the land used for the club’s only pitch.
Tyrrelstown GAA is one of six Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) clubs based in Dublin 15, and the youngest of the six after it was founded in 2008.
According to a petition established to save the pitch, developer ‘Twinlite developments’ allocated a piece of land for the clubs use to provide training, playing and to host games for members, however, that land may now be sold by NAMA which would then leave the club without a pitch.
Fianna Fáil Dublin West TD, Jack Chambers has called on the Taoiseach Leo Varadaker – who’s constituency the club is based in – to intervene and put a halt to NAMA from proceeding with their planned sale.
Chambers raised the matter with the Taoiseach in Dáil Éireann earlier this afternoon.
He said: “The Programme for Government very clearly outlines that State agency, NAMA would fund a programme for investment in infrastructure.
“As the Taoiseach will be aware, Tyrrelstown has experienced a significant deficit in investment over the past number of years.
“This GAA club, like many others across the city, has been a pillar of the local community for the past decade.
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“Sadly in recent weeks NAMA has taken ownership of the land where Tyrrelstown GAA club is based and the State agency has entered into a process to sell on the land.
“The Taoiseach and his Government are standing over the receivership process that will ensure this club is expelled and removed from its only pitch. Surely NAMA’s approach in this instance does not tally with the Programme for Government.
“Coaches, players and all those associated with the club are deeply worried by the prospect of losing its only playing pitch which will leave players with nowhere to train or compete.
“Despite my questions this afternoon, the Taoiseach gave absolutely no assurances regarding the future of the GAA pitch.
“The Taoiseach must lend his full support to local sports clubs and put the needs of our community ahead of any corporate and capitalist consideration.
“I am calling on him now to move decisively to ensure that this playing pitch is kept and Tyrrelstown GAA is not driven from existence.”
Varadkar said that he was aware of the issue affecting the Tyrrelstown GAA club, and is working on resolving it, but that the government’s plan in the Programme for Government was for the land to be developed for much needed housing and other developments.
“that reference [in the Programme for Government] was not a planned to be a reference for sports clubs, but rather, to infrastructure that would allow the land to be developed for much needed housing and other developments. But I am aware of the local issue and we are working on it.”
A petition has been established to save the pitch and has gained over 450 signatures.
A statement on the petition website read:
“In 2012 the club found themselves in a position where they had no playing facilities due to the development of a secondary school on this piece of land.
“The club got no warning/notice to evacuate this land and had to work extremely hard to locate a new area for its children.
“We identified a piece of land in front of the local Community Centre and two schools, T.E.T.N.S and St Luke’s. We then approached the developer and succeeded in retrieving a six-month roll-over license on this area.
“After securing the area the club approached the local council (Fingal County Council), and asked them to provide funding for the clearing off and development of the area to turn it into proper playing pitches for the club.
“The Council’s view on the situation was/is they could not provide any funding to the club as we had no long-term hold on the land. The club decided we would fund-raise to develop the area ourselves.”
