Fitzgerald hints at changes to grants system

Munster GAA chief executive Pat Fitzgerald has suggested clubs seeking capital grants will have to prove they are contributing to the community.

The Limerick man, whose contract was extended by five years last month, aims to focus more on clubs’ administrative structures in the role.

Predicting “challenging years ahead” financially, he warns clubs will have to demonstrate they are committed to promoting Gaelic games in their area as much as possible before receiving council funding.

“We have always led from the front, way before my time, in terms of grants and financial support to clubs. We probably need to look at that going forward. My own view would be that while we should in some form continue to respond to that I do not believe in supporting monuments without the club structure being behind it.

“So I would like to see club grants and coaching grants being linked to communities.

“As part of the assessment in getting a grant, how they’re working in the community and supporting Gaelic games would be a factor.

“I think you shouldn’t just pay for a physical structure but also to what the club are delivering in their community.”

In his annual report earlier this year, Fitzgerald expressed hope that provincial councils would be allowed to play more of a role in broadcasting rights negotiations.

He believes his concerns have been taken on board in Croke Park.

“My view on TV is that it’s very important to our games. There’s no question about that. But I feel at times we saturate it and if our numbers start dropping as a result of TV coverage, which is definitely a factor on wet days, the same TV companies will lose interest.

“My view is to get the balance right in terms of the amount of live games you give. Before my time, provinces negotiated individually and it’s there in black and white that there was more money got for the matches being shown than there is now.

“I accept there are a lot more games being shown. I’m not saying we should go back to the provinces claiming the rights back to their own games, but what I am saying is there should be more collective discussion and that has been agreed at national level within the organisation. It’s starting to take place.”

In the same report, Fitzgerald welcomed the redevelopment of Páirc Uí Chaoimh but had expressed reservations about the size. He maintains that view even with the capacity since revised down to 45,000.

“Our challenge is to meet the expectation of the supporter and the spectator. In that regard, my views of the current state of Páirc Uí Chaoimh are well known.

“I’m not sure about the size but it’s the second city in the country so the GAA needs to have a strong presence there. Semple Stadium is one of the finest stadiums in the country, no doubt. People give out to me in Limerick because the Gaelic Grounds doesn’t get games but that’s our home and away system. Limerick are due quite a number of big games now (Limerick v Tipperary in hurling, Limerick v Cork in football).

“In terms of Killarney, it’s a fantastic stadium to run a game in and from an organisation point of view they’re fantastic because they have a challenge in almost being all terrace.

“I’d be happy with the infrastructure with the exception of the development of Cork in terms of where we need to be.

“Some people say do we need four major stadiums and I’ve asked myself the same question a number of times. The only thing I’d say is they’re there so the need doesn’t arise and Cork is the second biggest city in the State.”

Like Munster Council chairman Seán Walsh, Fitzgerald plays down the significance of there being no team from the province in either All-Ireland senior final this year.

“I don’t look on 2012 with too many fond memories because there was no Munster team in a senior All-Ireland final. I don’t think that’s a measure of the standards in Munster. In my view, that’s just the way the competitions rolled out. In hurling in particular, the five teams in Munster next year will all believe they have a good chance of winning it.

“A number of them have started the rebuilding process over the last number of years and Tipperary before them.

“In terms of football, there is always a challenge because we only have two strong teams in the province. Tipperary are coming up to meet them and are near enough to the standard so that will give us three. I wouldn’t have any fear for the games in the province.”