The GAA has warned it will not be contributing to players’ funding schemes after Minister for Sport Martin Cullen claimed the association may need to contribute to relieve some of the burden on the taxpayer. The expenses scheme for GAA inter-county players came into effect in early 2008 and is funded by the government through the Irish Sports Council (ISC).
Newly-installed GAA president Christy Cooney today insisted the scheme was put in place by the government, which had committed in 2007 to “accept full responsibility for the scale and continuity of the schemes and that the GAA’s Central Council had approved them only on that basis.”
He added that the GAA’s position had been “accepted by both the Department (of Arts, Sport and Tourism) and the Gaelic Players Association” when the schemes were proposed.
Mr Cooney reiterated the GPA’s stance that it was prepared to accept a reduction in funding as long as it was in line with cutbacks in other sports.
GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell has already said its members do not expect the GAA to make up any shortfall in the event of funding reductions.
Cooney's statement was prompted by comments attributed to Cullen in the Irish Independenttoday.
“The taxpayer cannot continue to pick up the entire cost of this scheme in drastically changed economic circumstances,” he said.
“I am trying to be fair and I am not saying ‘No’. However, I am clearly signalling that the resources required to continue the scheme at the level previously anticipated are not there.”