Vol. 416 No. 4
61 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the present position regarding sections of the Gaelic Athletic Association playing pitch at Crossmaglen having been acquired by the British Army; if he intends to raise this matter at future Anglo-Irish talks; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The Government have taken a close interest in the difficulties faced by the Crossmaglen GAA Club caused by the proximity to the club of the British Army base at Crossmaglen, which has expanded in size since the early 1970s. This expansion has involved the compulsory requisitioning of land and the ordering of rights of way across club property. Difficulties have also arisen from the British Army's attitude to the club's own expansion plans which involved the development of a new club house and changing rooms. As recently as autumn of 1991, the club was faced with a number of problems caused by substantial refurbishment of the British Army base at Crossmaglen.
The Government are anxious to ensure that the club is in a position to function with minimum disruption to its activities and the issue has been raised repeatedly in the framework of the Anglo-Irish Conference with this end in view. The British Army have now adopted alternative access arrangements to the Army base. In relation to last autumn's refurbishment of the base, the Government sought and received assurances that structural alterations necessitated by the refurbishment work would be fully compensated for and that rights of way required for machinery access would be only temporary.
The Government will continue to monitor closely developments affecting Crossmaglen GAA Club and, where appropriate, to pursue matters arising in this regard through the framework of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference.
