GAELIC GAMES:GAA president Nickey Brennan has defended the association in the face of rising dissatisfaction from the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) over the failure to agree channels of distribution for the €5 million welfare grants promised to the players earlier in the year by the Government.

The impasse, which has led to talk of a players' strike from GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell - who has pursued the grants issue over a number of years - arose when the government proposed to make the money available to the GAA in infrastructure grants on the basis that the association could then write the cheque for the players itself.

"All of this was instituted by the GPA and the Government," according to the president. "Former Minister for Sport John O'Donoghue came up with the figure of 5 million subject to ourselves and the GPA coming up with a proposed schedule of how it would be used. We agreed that document, but the Government proposed to give us money under one heading and encourage us to hand it out under another.

"I'd like to make a few things clear. One, we have no problem with the grant. Two, if the Government wants to pay it out through the Irish Sports Council that's fine. Three, we'll facilitate the payment in any way we can, but our infrastructure grants have to be kept out of it.

"We go to the Government for infrastructure grants on their own merits and on a project-by-project basis. We even help the Government prioritise those projects through our National Infrastructure Committee and with the input of provincial councils.

"There are many disappointed projects because there's not a snowball's chance in hell that they can all get approval. Even internally we have to prioritise applications for support. Grants on the capital side vary and it would be impossible for us to take infrastructure money and give it to players when infrastructure projects are being turned down."

The GPA has become increasingly frustrated by the delay and the impasse and yesterday on RTÉ radio's News at One, Farrell said that there would be a ballot on strike action once the final provincial meeting with players had taken place in Connacht last night. Brennan said that whereas he had sympathy with the GPA he believed that the players' union must understand the GAA's position. He also added that talk of striking was unhelpful in the broader context of relations between the two bodies.

"I suppose it's off-season and traditionally there is a ratcheting up at this time of the year, but I'm disappointed at the whole notion of a strike at the same time as we have ongoing discussions with the GPA on a number of issues.

"They've clearly been working with the Government on this over a long time, but the Government made the offer and it's up to them to sort out the best means of disbursement. We've requested a meeting with the new sports minister (Séamus Brennan) and we're happy for Dessie Farrell to attend.

"We're not sitting back, but the GPA must understand that this is a far bigger issue for the GAA than simply a way of freeing up funds. In fairness to the GPA, we appreciate the concerns of players, who have been promised the money, but we can't be held to ransom over the means of payment for money that the Government agreed with the GPA."

Asked about the likely reaction of the association to a player strike, the president replied: "We would hope it wouldn't come to that."