€60million in State grants to GAA in doubt

GOVERNMENT grants worth €60million promised to the GAA have been placed in doubt by the decision not to build the National Stadium with taxpayers money.

The cash promised to the GAA by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, including €45million for Croke Park, was contingent on the development of the National Stadium.

Question marks also hang over grants of up to €10million promised to the Football Association of Ireland.

Last night, a senior Government source said in light of the change of position on the ‘Bertie Bowl’, all commitments made in this regard are currently being examined.

Back in April 2001, the GAA was promised €75m in return for backing the National Stadium project. But only the €15million promised for the redevelopment of Croke Park to enable it to be used for the Special Olympics has been paid.

The remainder, €20million per annum for three years, including €15m each year for Croke Park, was connected to the development of the National Stadium and so was not paid.

In a separate deal in July, Sports Minister John O’Donoghue allocated a separate €19m to Croke Park for the Hogan Stand development.

But the GAA’s chances of still getting the money have not been helped by the association’s outright rejection of the Taoiseach’s request that Croke Park be made available for the Euro 2008 football championships.

According to Government sources, it was expected the GAA would give a considered examination to the request, especially considering the support the Taoiseach and Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy have given the association.

The GAA has received around €140m from the Government in the last five years, including €63.5 million for the development of Croke Park, the source said.

The GAA Central Council will meet next month when it could be forced to vote on allowing foreign games to be played at Croke Park if a motion is tabled. The last motion to abolish Rule 42 was defeated.

As the political fall-out from the Government’s U-turn continues, Scottish-Irish Euro 2008 bid marketing director Simon Lyons said he believes the bid can still go ahead.

The campaign is moving full steam ahead, Mr Lyons said. The bid is based on having two stadiums in this country, with a further six in Scotland.

The Department of Finance and the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism will explore the possibility of private sector funding for a stadium at Abbotstown in west Dublin.

But Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the Government decision made a shambles of the Euro 2008 joint application and the policy change was a devastating personal blow to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

The Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy defended the decision and rejected claims the Government had broken promises made in this summer’s election, saying all commitments were dependent on continued growth in the economy.

Labour Party finance spokesman Brendan Howlin said Minister McCreevy must share a huge part of the responsibility for the Stadium Ireland finance debacle.