Madam, - Rebecca Moynihan, national chairperson of Labour Youth claims (October 6th) that the recent €40 million from lottery funds allocated to Croke Park brings taxpayer funding for the stadium's renewal to €109 million.
A simple telephone call to the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism would have discovered that Exchequer funding to Croke Park was €19 million (paid to ensure it would be ready to host the opening and closing ceremonies of the Special Olympics last summer) and that lottery funds account for the remaining €91 million. The total cost of the project is more than €250 million.
The National Lottery was set up to provide additional funding for the arts, culture, sport, the Irish language and health and welfare projects. Obviously, the allocation of lottery funds does not lessen Exchequer money available to the Government to spend on health, education or any other services. The fact of the matter is that the GAA has given far more to the Exchequer than it has received - by way of taxes that have accrued as a result of its investment in Croke Park and other grounds throughout the country, not to mention the employment and revenue generated by its activities.
It has also made an inestimable contribution to the mental and physical health of the nation through its provision of facilities and its voluntary promotion of games and pastimes, particularly among the young.
It is strange that there was no comment from Labour Youth when far greater funding in relative terms was committed by the Government to other sporting organisations and to projects unrelated to education and health. - Yours, etc.,
DANNY LYNCH,
Public Relations Officer,
GAA/Cumann
Lúthchleas Gael,
Páirc an Chrócaigh,
Baile Átha Cliath 3.