Croke Park Residents Meeting

Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024

Attendance
Chair: Noeline Blackwell
An Garda Síochána: Superintendent Cormac Brennan
Aiken Promotions: Shane Mates, Peter Aiken, Jim Clarke
Croke Park Senior Management: Brian Conlon, Tony McGuinness
Community Liaison Officer: Billy O’Keeffe
34 residents from the Croke Park locality

• Concert sold out with 80,000 people expected.
• Pre-concert setup starts May 12th after Leinster GAA Football Final.
• Dismantling will begin after the concert on May 19th, to be completed by May 23rd or 24th.
• Working hours for stage building: 18:00-22:00 on May 12th, 08:00-22:00 on weekdays.
• Trucks will use Saint Joseph’s Avenue for access.

• Query raised about Belvedere College being approached for parking.
• Illegal parking concerns addressed by Superintendent; cars will be towed.
• Disabled access for taxis mentioned; names and addresses of passengers should be provided.

Concert Promoters to discuss potential parking arrangements with Belvedere College

Superintendent to ensure enforcement against illegal parking and facilitate disabled access for taxis.

• Not met due to lack of events in 2023 and will meet prior to upcoming concerts.

• Community base operates on the day of the concert with all connected agencies – AGS, DCC, Community Team, etc
• Community free phone (1800 303 593) available during and after the concert as well as each day that matches are scheduled throughout the year.
• The number is included in the regular ezine and on www.crokepark.ie/community.

Ensure community free phone number is prominently displayed and communicated.

• Priority tickets for residents discussed; personal codes/Eircode’s suggested.
• Over 4,000 residents contacted for pre-sale tickets.
• Issue of no access to tickets for people with disabilities raised.
• Draw for tickets conducted on February 23rd; winners notified. GDPR restrictions prevent publishing names and addresses. Streets where winners live are listed as an alternative.

Concert Promoters to investigate the feasibility of using personal codes/Eircode’s for pre-sale tickets and consider solutions for better access to tickets for people with disabilities.

• Issues with urination on Ballybough Road noted.
• Gardai to monitor and manage crowds more effectively.
• Additional Garda presence requested for Russell Avenue to prevent public urination.
• Concerns about location and condition of porta loos with a request for more and better-maintained units.
• Keep stadium toilets open until crowds have dispersed.
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Community Team and Gardai to monitor key areas, including Russell Avenue, to prevent public urination

Croke Park to work with the Concert Promoters to improve the quality and maintenance of porta loos and ensure stadium toilets remain open until crowds leave

• It was noted that no representative from DCC was in attendance and the need for DCC presence at future meetings was emphasised.

Ensure DCC representatives attend future meetings to address waste management issues.

• Discussion on alcohol sales was raised but would not be addressed in this meeting.
• The Superintendent acknowledged the discussion and agreed it was a much larger issue and for another time.

• Residents expressed dissatisfaction with lack of consultation regarding rugby matches at Croke Park.
• Leinster to play at Aviva Stadium or Croke Park due to RDS construction.
• Need for public information and resident inclusion in decisions highlighted.

Croke Park to improve communication with residents in decisions about hosting rugby matches and other events

• Compliments passed to Community Gardaí.
• Frustration expressed about recurring issues without solutions.
• Need for respect and effective communication underscored.