Joe Behan - Independent Councillor - Wicklow County Council

Carlisle Grounds "Soccer-Only Use" Changed : Councillors Bypassed
7th October 2016

I am shocked to discover that the use of Carlisle Grounds for a sport other than soccer has recently been agreed between officials of Wicklow County Council and Bray Wanderers.

The Seventh Schedule of the Lease on the Carlisle Grounds states specifically and unambiguously that it is to be used for "the sport of football (soccer)..."

It has come to my attention that a number of Rugby League matches have been planned to take place in the Carlisle Grounds during the month of October.

As this or any other sports activity is not specifically permitted in the Lease, I contacted Wicklow County Council to find out what was happening. I was told that the legal advice to the Council officials was that the use of the Grounds in this way could be changed by way of a Deed of Variation and does not need the consent of Elected Members of the Council.

This means that a vital element of the lease has been or will be changed by unelected officials. Elected members will apparently be notified in due course as a matter of courtesy but apparently have no powers in this matter.

I completely disagree that such an important public asset as the Carlisle Grounds can be permitted to be used for other sports without the formal consent of the Elected Councillors.

If this is allowed to happen, it could lead to further weakening of the lease in the future and could conceivably lead to suggestions that the Carlisle Grounds would be suitable for property development instead of soccer or indeed any sports.

I am implacably opposed to any change in the present use of the Carlisle Grounds and I strongly reject the argument that Elected Councillors have no power to prevent changes such as this to the use of property which we hold in trust for the people of Bray and County Wicklow.

Cllr. Joe Behan
Independent