Residents in the vicinity of Croke Park have been angered by plans for U2's upcoming gigs.

Locals were incensed that tickets for the concerts went on sale before the licence was granted by Dublin City Council.

Any application for a licence to hold a concert must be included in the weekly planning lists and printed in the Irish press. However, residents heard that the U2 concert would go ahead days before planning notice was printed.

"It has been simmering for a number of years but I think this was the straw that broke the camels back," said local councillor Emer Costello.

"The residents are annoyed by the fact that the promoters were allowed to go ahead and sell the tickets before the licence was granted."

"There is no mechanism for appeal and it appears to the residents as if they are bypassing the planning procedures. It is a real loophole in the planning process," she added.

"The residents are not trying to stop anyone's fun but it appears as if they have put the cart before the horse."

Residents who live in the vicinity of the sports grounds feel frustrated that their voices are not being heard.

"We're sick and tired of complaining," said Barbara Ward from the Clonliffe and District Residents' Association. "We can only put in a submission not an objection."

However, MCD responded that the licence application for the three dates in July was fully compliant with licensing laws.

"MCD in consultation with Croke Park placed a Public Notice on March 26, as part of the Licence Application for the three U2 concerts," a spokesperson said. "In addition Croke Park has raised the issue at a recent Community Liaison Committee Meeting which includes representatives from the local community and local politicians."

MCD said that the event would be of great benefit to the community, providing a €100m stimulus to the economy. The promoters have also made a substantial contribution to the Community Trust Fund.

Dublin City Council said that under the licensing regulations Croke Park are obliged to lodge a detailed event management plan to the planning authority 16 weeks in advance of any proposed event.

But they said that the regulations do not preclude a promoter from advertising or selling tickets for an event in advance of the license.

"A decision to grant or refuse a licence is an executive function of the planning authority," said the spokesperson. "The licence application for three concerts at Croke Park is currently under consideration by the planning authority."

A representative from Croke Park added: "We followed the regular procedures. It often happens that tickets go on sale subject to licence. It is quite normal. We copied the application to people on the community liaison committee and we meet with them every month. The representatives will be able to bring up any issues at this meeting."