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18th Jul 2014

‘I Did Indicate That I Would Support Five Garth Gigs’ – DCC Chief Appears In Front Of Oireachtas

Keegan was called before the committee for a second time.

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Dublin City Council Chief Executive Owen Keegan has admitted that he indicated to Aiken Promotions that he would support all five Garth Brooks dates at Croke Park.

Speaking to the Oireachtas Transport Committee today, Keegan said that while he “fully accepts” that he indicated his support for the event, this did not guarantee that a license would be granted for all five concerts.

“I gave absolutely no assurance, nor could I have given any assurance at that stage, that all five concerts would be licensed because no event licence application had been submitted in respect of the concerts,” he said.

According to the Irish Times, he said he made it clear his support was conditional on the “legitimate concerns” of residents being taken into account.

GAA Director General Páraic Duffy had previously told the committee that it was “incomprehensible” the five gigs were not given the go-ahead and that there had not been “even a hint” that a licence would be refused.

He also stated that, prior to the submission of a licence application earlier this year, Mr McKenna had received a phone call from Mr Keegan advising him the council would “support a licence application for all five”.