DUP’s Wells sparks row over club’s fundraising

A DEMOCRATIC Unionist Party member of the Northern Ireland assembly has come in for heavy criticism after calling for a halt to GAA clubs fundraising by packing shoppers’ bags in south Down supermarkets.

Jim Wells described the GAA as a wealthy body which was depriving “genuine charities” of collection slots in shops.

Mr Wells said he had received complaints from members of the unionist community. He claimed labels on the collectors’ buckets said they were Bryansford Ladies “when in fact they were Bryansford Ladies GAA team“.

“It should be genuine charities that need the money, not an organisation that is rolling in money,” he said.

“All collectors should have badges or armbands which clearly identify the organisation they represent.”

Mr Wells also told BBC Radio Northern Ireland unionists would not be comfortable donating to an organisation that had named a trophy after IRA hunger-striker Bobby Sands.

Sinn Féin MLA Barry McElduff pointed out that the GAA was a sporting, not political, body.

“The GAA is a community development role model. I’m sure clubs would be happy to wait their turn for collection slots,” he said. Part of the difficulty for me is an undercurrent of criticism of the GAA.”

Alliance MLA Anna Lo described Mr Wells’ comment as “very churlish and negative”.