Ó Fearghaíl agrees Dubs funding needs review

GAA president Aogán Ó Fearghaíl believes there is a “compelling” case to address the imbalance in games development funding which currently sees Dublin receive €1.4m more than nearly every other county.

The GAA’s annual accounts for 2015, released this week, highlight how Dublin received €1.46m in funding, with Laois (€165,001) the only other county to receive a six-figure sum.

The disparity is partly due to a deal between Dublin and the Sports Council in the mid-2000s to ring fence a €1m payment exclusively for capital county activities each year. That figure has since been reduced to around €640,000 and is believed to go to paying full-time coaches in the capital.

GAA finance director Tom Ryan says efforts are under way to address the imbalance and Ó Fearghaíl agrees, indicating that a form of equalisation which reduces Dublin’s share is likely.

Ó Fearghaíl said:

“I think when we look at the figures, there is no doubt that there is now a very strong case, and a compelling case as I see it, to look at that and see can we redistribute.

“That’s why we have a taskforce on finance here in Croke Park at the moment to look at how we can best do that, to soften it when you start moving revenues because that’s what they do.”

Dublin officials have pointedly noted the huge gate receipts generated by Dublin football supporters each year.

“Revenue that comes into Croke Park is for everyone and should be for everyone, whether it’s Dublin that generate that,” said Ó Fearghaíl. “If you were to look at other figures in terms of capital investment, Dublin would be way down low in that.

“We also distribute incredible finances around the country for club grounds and county grounds, Dublin would be way down in that league. So, to be fair to Dublin, they don’t get the lion’s share of spending in all areas, but they do in games development, or have done.”

Meanwhile, Ó Fearghaíl defended the decision to alter the Leinster senior football and hurling championship schedules to accommodate at least one Bruce Springsteen concert next summer.

The double header involving Wexford and Dublin in hurling and Wexford and Kildare in football, has been brought forward from May 29 to May 21.

• Ó Fearghaíl was speaking at the launch of the GAA’s Lá na gClubanna, which will take place on May 8.