Cabinet gives GAA a timely boost

GAA: GAA president Seán Kelly has admitted that yesterday's Government decision to pay the entire €40 million grant towards the funding of Croke Park before the end of the year had come "totally out of the blue". Ian O'Riordan reports.

Two months ago the Government had agreed to pay out that amount in two instalments before the end of 2005, a sum that corresponds to the £38 million that was part of the original grant promised in April of 2001.

All 40 million will be deposited into the GAA's bank account before the end of the year. It was, agreed Kelly, almost like a Christmas present arriving well in advance: "Yes, you could say that Santa Claus has come a little early to us this year."

The money had been withheld for over two years, which goes back to the time the plug was pulled on the Stadium Ireland project.

Since coming to office two years ago, Kelly had remained confident the money would be paid, although the Government's decision of September 31st to come through with it had also come with little warning.

"The original announcement from the Minister of Sport, John O'Donoghue, was that this €40 million would be paid out in two tranches of 20 million," said Kelly. "And at the time I was quite happy with that.

"Then this morning I received a phone call from Mr O'Donoghue to say that the Cabinet had looked at the matter again, had made representation, and decided to pay out the money in the one tranche. We expect to have that now before the end of the year, and obviously we're delighted with that."

The Government's decision to release the grant two months ago was in part down to the Cabinet reshuffle at the time, with the outgoing Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy in some ways seen as "clearing his desk".

There had been suggestions that the Government's decision to pay the money was related to Rule 42, and that by fulfilling the grant they might increase the chances of the GAA amending the ban on playing of other sports at Croke Park.

At the time Kelly made it clear that the funding was in no way dependent on the opening of Croke Park, and he reiterated that point yesterday.

"Again this has nothing to do with Rule 42. In fairness to the Government they came up with this arrangement totally out of the blue, and at no stage of the process was there ever any discussion about Rule 42. So there are still no strings attached."

The GAA can now look forward to an immediate ease of their debt on the Croke Park redevelopment. It stands at just under €100 million but, as Kelly says, the advantages of getting the €40 million in one go are many.

"It certainly leaves us in far better position in terms of our finances. Straightaway it's going to lesson our outstanding debt, but it's also going to save us further on the interest repayments. Getting all the 40 million at once, for example, will save us something like €2.2 million in interest repayments. That will make a big, big difference. But we still have a significant debt to pay off."

To date the total Government funding for Croke Park has amounted to just under half of the 250 million total cost of the redevelopment, although this latest 40 million will be the final contribution from public funds.

Meanwhile, it is certain that Rule 42 will be debated at Congress next April, with the motion now likely to come from the Sligo County Board.

It refers to the use of Croke Park while Lansdowne Road is closed for redevelopment, and calls for international soccer and rugby matches to be allowed at GAA headquarters during that time. That idea will go before next week's county convention.