The Dublin County Board are eyeing a new home for their GAA sides.
The All-Ireland champions revealed ambitious plans to build a new 25,000-seater stadium and two ‘centres of excellence’ on either side of the Liffey at a meeting on Monday night.
It was revealed that the County Board plan to approach NAMA with a view to buying the land for the new facilities in the capital.
The plan was unveiled at Croke Park as part of a six-year strategy for Dublin GAA called ‘Unleashing The Blue Wave’.
It made no secret of the fact that the Dubs will be taking a look at NAMA's books - which now control much of the vacant land around the capital as a result of taking on €70bn in debts from ravaged financial institutions and developers hit by the global downturn.
The report says there is an acute need for a mid-sized inter-county ground.
It is understood that Dublin GAA officials will be looking for NAMA land around the M50 to start building a new stadium.
The move follows a recent decision by Leinster Council to ditch plans to develop a new stadium in County Louth.
However, the Dublin County Board believes it can exploit the absence of a modern stadium by building a new one with a capacity somewhere between Parnell Park (around 10,000) and Croke Park (82,300).
The move would be a welcome boost to the GAA with grounds around the capital such as St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge, Co Kildare and Pairc Tailteann in Navan, Co Meath having had their capacities reduced in recent times on health and safety ground.
That means that none of the Dublin satellite counties have grounds suitable for a mid-sized crowd.
Dublin GAA officials also believe that there is an acute shortage of appropriate training facilities within the capital.
