Cllr Coffey accuses FF TDs of stroke politics regarding proposed Waterford GAA Stadium

Cllr Paudie Coffey FG has accused both Waterford FF TDs Martin Cullen and Ollie Wilkinson of stroke politics regarding their proposals for a new GAA Stadium for Waterford.

The FG Election Candidate who has a strong GAA involvement both as a player and an administrator over many years pointed out that the Portlaw GAA Club made a proposal such as this through the proper channels of GAA County Board as a Notice of Motion two years ago and there wasn’t so much as a peep of support for the project from either of the FF Deputies at that time. Ironically, when they get wind of sensitive negotiations taking place between Waterford GAA and WIT regarding this project they bulldoze and hijack the negotiations and try to take credit for the project before it even gets off the ground – "this is the type of irresponsible, desperation and stroke politics that these FF TDs have now resorted Cllr Coffey accuses FF TDs of stroke politics regarding proposed Waterford GAA Stadium Cllr Paudie Coffey FG has accused both Waterford FF TDs Martin Cullen and Ollie Wilkinson of stroke politics regarding their proposals for a new GAA Stadium for Waterford. to without any consideration to those that are in negotiations.

They should not and I repeat, should not be trying to make political capital on the backs of hardworking GAA volunteers striving to improve the Countys facilities, the GAA has survived and blossomed for over a Century because it is apolitical and it should never be used as political football by irresponsible TDs such as Cullen and Wilkinson." "I would hope that voters and genuine GAA supporters of the County will see through this latest attempt by FF politicians to try fool the electorate with false election promises and gimmicks such as this where they both try to claim credit for a project that is sensitive, apolitical and at the very early stage of negotiations".

Let me tell both politicians that the Waterford Electorate will not be fooled, especially following the litany of broken election promises made by FF in 2002 that people do not forget!

I want to also remind them that it was tinkering like this that almost jeopardised the opening of Croke Park to soccer and rugby and costed the taxpayers millions of euros in lost revenue looking at Berties pet project the Bertie Bowl – that never materialised a few years ago.

It would be more in their line to deal with the Health Crisis, increasing Crime Levels and unacceptable classroom sizes around this County. The Chairman of Waterford GAA County Board Mr Pat Flynn in my opinion is correct, politicians should stay out of this process until their support is required when the project is agreed and finalised by all parties and approved by the GAA Clubs of County Waterford, then their support quite rightly will be sought to help with grant aid".