Sport

Colm McCarthy: Clubs should team together across different sports codes and share stadiums

Requests for new venues, increased capacity or improved facilities should only be entertained if they will be highly utilised and the grounds are shared

Gary O’Neill of Shamrock Rovers in action against Evan Caffrey of Shelbourne at Tallaght Stadium: Rovers home ground is the busiest stadium in Ireland. Picture: Getty

The government faces insistent demands from the FAI, the GAA and other sports bodies to fund new or redeveloped venues for spectator sports.

The arguments include claims that they will bring with them a whole range of community, economic and health benefits, but the simple fact is that Ireland has too many stadiums with low utilisation and there is wrong-headed resistance to ground-sharing within and between the various codes.

These rivalries have inhibited ground-sharing and ...