Seán Martin: Clubs aren't capable of helping with reducing Páirc debt

Former Nemo Rangers chairman Seán Martin says clubs should not be asked to help reduce the debt of SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

At last week’s monthly board meeting at the stadium, changes were brought in to help reduce the €31 million-plus debt on SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. These include an increase in admission to games and the reduction of clubs’ gate-receipt shares, among others.

Martin, currently a Fianna Fáil Councillor and former Lord Mayor of Cork and brother of recently elected Taoiseach, Micheál, isn’t happy with the idea of clubs being levied.

“Personally, I think there should be an upfront meeting between the officials involved and all clubs,” he said when speaking to The Echo on Tuesday afternoon.

“The county board should put on the table what exactly the shortfall is and how much they require, so that we all know exactly. As of now, all members involved in Cork GAA are contributing towards SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh with the Rebels Bounty and so on.

“We need to have an urgent meeting with officials from Croke Park and try and sort this out. You just look at Munster Rugby and I have been impressed by them with the number of concerts that they manage to put on in Musgrave Park every year and yet you get these odd concerts down the Páirc. Getting concerts is a money spinner if there was ever one. It’s a fantastic stadium and the county board needs to come clean with the clubs and tell them what’s going on.” 

Just under six years ago, it was revealed at one of the county board meetings, that no levies would be placed on clubs, but now it looks like that is the case. Martin, who is a staunch Nemo Rangers man and has been involved in the club for well over 50 years, feels a meeting with everyone involved should take place.

“Some clubs are struggling in Ireland, you saw what happened to Parnell's in Dublin,” he says.

“There are clubs in Cork, who are just about surviving and struggling to break even and turn over every year. There is a lot of voluntary work involved in the GAA as we all know, from underage all the way to the top. This idea that there is a bottomless pit with clubs in relation to funding for SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh is just ridiculous.

“If a certain club wants a 4G pitch or whatever the case maybe, and they are trying to fundraise for that, where is that club going to get the money to subsidise SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh as well? There needs to be a broader discussion on this. There is no point in this hit and miss approach from the county board. A proper business plan needs to be put in place.” 

How will the county board ever bring down the €31 million-plus debt on SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh?

“I personally feel you need a sports grant to write the majority of it off,” Martin states.

“You have to also get substantial investment from somewhere. Clubs aren’t capable of helping eat into the debt. It’s not the real world in my opinion. There needs to be a broader discussion very soon on this.”