Transport Committee to hear from GAA and Aiken Promotions on Garth Brooks concerts

15 July 2014

Last week, the Committee agreed to request the attendance of key parties involved in the staging of the Garth Brooks concerts. The Chief Executive of Dublin City Council Owen Keegan was before the Committee earlier today, accompanied by senior officials. Peter Aiken of Aiken Promotions and Director General of the GAA Paraic Duffy are expected before the Committee tomorrow.

Chairman of the Committee John O’Mahony TD says “Last week, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications agreed to request the attendance of key parties involved in the staging of the Garth Brooks concerts. The Committee shadows the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and is gravely concerned at the damage to Ireland's reputation caused by the cancellation of the concerts. This morning, we heard Owen Keegan outline the approach of the Council in the licencing process. The meeting tomorrow will afford the representatives from the GAA and Aiken promotions the opportunity to outline the chain of events from their perspectives that have led to the cancellation of the planned Garth Brooks concerts. The Committee hopes by this public process, lessons can be learned to ensure that such a scenario will not be repeated into the future.”

The meeting will commence with scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposal COM(2014)131  in relation to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation. The Committee will also scrutinise non-priority proposals COMS(2014)17, 18, 47, 48, 104, 256, 257, 314 and 338.

The meeting commences tomorrow Wednesday 16 July at 9:30 am in Committee Room 4, LH 2000. It will commence with EU Scrutiny. Engagement with the GAA and Aiken Promotions is expected at 11 am and can be viewed online here.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.

ENDS
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Committee on Transport and Communications
Deputies: John O’Mahony (Chair), Paudie Coffey (Vice-Chair), Michael Colreavy, Timmy Dooley, Dessie Ellis, Tom Fleming, Brendan Griffin, Noel Harrington, Seán Kenny, Éamonn Maloney, Helen McEntee, Michael Moynihan, Patrick O’Donovan, Ann Phelan and Mick Wallace
Senators: Sean D. Barrett, Terry Brennan, Éamonn Coghlan, Paschal Mooney, Ned O’Sullivan and John Whelan