Players' grants: Doubts have been raised about the Government's commitment to the €5 million set to be allocated for GAA player grants.
The figure was set aside by former Sports Minister John O'Donoghue - now Ceann Comhairle - but Labour Senator Alan Kelly yesterday called upon his replacement Séamus Brennan to confirm this figure remains on the table.
"The issue is twofold," said Kelly. "Firstly, is the mechanism for payment, which should be some form of bursary to the Sports Council. The GAA don't have an issue administering that so long as it's not capital funds or deducted from them in the following years.
"But there is a bigger issue that is not getting enough publicity. My concern would be that the Government are going to renege to the volume of money they put forward for this. The previous minister said €5 million. From my discussions, I'm getting a hint that the Government may be reneging on that figure.
"They need to back this figure as soon as possible. Are they still behind the players? Are they still behind the five million?"
The Ministry for Arts, Sports and Tourism's response was noncommittal. "The position is still that the official figure on the table is €5 million. It would be premature to comment on that until the current process is complete," said a spokesman for the department, which is currently at a critical juncture in negotiations with the GPA and GAA.
Kelly has initiated a cross-party group, alongside Senate chairman Pat Moylan, that can, if required, act as a mediator between Minister Brennan, the GPA and the GAA.
"I don't see this as a huge nut to crack," continued the North Tipperary senator. "There seems to be broadly an agreement between the GPA and GAA in relation to this. The issue is in relation to Government. The GPA and GAA have agreed the way in which this should be administered is through the Sports Council."
Kelly is an "associate member" of the GPA and an avid supporter of a grant system for intercounty footballers and hurlers. He is adamant that an agreement can be reached before the strike option is activated.
"Nobody wants players to go down the strike road. They make such sacrifices and contributions to the culture of the country. How many more players have to retire - the Kieran McGeeneys, the Brian Corcorans - before they ever get recognition from the State? This could be wrapped up in an afternoon if there was a will to do it."
Internal sources have intimated that the ongoing negotiations between the three parties are expected to reach an agreement this month.
If a solution is not agreed upon before the January 1st deadline, the Louth football panel will be the first group expected to boycott the O'Byrne Cup match against Dublin City University on New Year's Day.
Meanwhile, Dublin City University announced 138 sports scholarships yesterday.
The college, which won the Sigerson Cup in 2006 and the freshers All-Ireland title in 2007, have included several top senior football intercounty stars on the list - including Mayo's Conor Mortimer and Monaghan's Dick Clerkin.
DCU GAA SCHOLARSHIPS
Men's Gaelic Football- Ronan Flanagan, Seán Johnston, Michael Lyng, Dermot Sheridan, Brian Coleman, Barry Watters, Ray Cullivan (Cavan); Declan Walsh, Marlin McElhinny (Donegal); Michael Savage, Phillip Brogan, Paddy Andrews, Kevin Leahy, Chris Guckin, Kevin Nolan (Dublin); Greg Rogan, David Reilly (Galway); Max Bradley (Kildare); Craig Rodgers, Conor Merdith, Brian Smith, Colm Munnelly, Simon Shorthall (Laois); Denis McGoldrick, Pauric Gill (Longford); Paddy Keenan (Louth); Conor Mortimer, Alan Joyce (Mayo), Brian O'Reilly, Kevin Reilly, Shane O'Rourke, Padraig Howard, Brian Sheridan, Alan Nestor, Shane Carr, Rory McGuire and David Donegan (Meath); Darrach Mooney, Dick Clerkin, Ciaran Hanratty, Shane Smith, Kieran Hughes, Danial McNally, Mark McDevitt, Neil McAdam, Brian McArdle, Mark McNally, Martin McElroy, Darren Bishop (Monaghan); William Mullhal (Offaly); David Keenan, Cathal Cregg, Stephen Ormsby, Niall Carthy (Roscommon); Brendan Egan, David Kelly (Sligo); Shane Roche (Wexford); Ciarán Walsh, Paddy Byrne (Wicklow).
Women's Gaelic Football- Claire Murtagh, Bronagh Sheridan (Cavan); Karen Hopkins, Amy McGuinness, Emma Dunne (Dublin); Fiona McHale (Mayo).
Camogie- Eimear Butler, Andrea Fitzpatrick (both Dublin).
