There are times when it becomes easy to despair of politics and the politicians who swim in that polluted pond. For many years now politicians have been willing more and more to hitch their wagons to any sporting star, realising that the public will always be willing to look kindly upon those in their political midst who display an interest in sport of any kind.

We have all seen the photographs of Eamonn de Valera, Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith smiling and laughing together in Croke Park. It wasn't long before the smiling stopped. We have seen photographs of Eoin O'Duffy strutting around in finery in the 1930s acting out his Fascist fantasies while putting himself forward as an adviser to the Monaghan football team.

Less offensive, but nonetheless opportunistic, Charlie Haughey swanned around the Paris boulevards waiting for Stephen Roche. And there was the inspiring image of politicians squabbling for seats at Dublin Airport when Michael Carruth and Wayne McCullough came back with boxing medals from the Barcelona Olympics, or when Jack Charlton took his heroes to College Green for a reception after European and World Cup performances.

There have been, and there still are, many politicians who are genuinely interested in sport, none more so or more distinguished than Jack Lynch. The fact, however, is that it would beggar all belief if any aspiring politician in Ireland declared a total aversion to sport. Such a politician would have no chance of being elected.

Yet it sickens many sporting people when political parties across the spectrum jump on any opportunity to snaffle popular sportspeople in order to win a seat in a dodgy bye-election. Among the many players of Dublin's spectacularly successful team of the 1970s and early 1980s who were mentioned as potential candidates have been Kevin Heffernan, Tony Hanahoe, Barney Rock, Dave O'Leary and Charlie Redmond. That is only the tip of the iceberg, but such attempts at opportunism do not grace politics in any way and, no longer, impresses anyone.

In regard to sport and politics, this column has no apology to make for its support of the recent decision of the Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy, to announce a grant of £20 million to the GAA over a three-year period. What sticks in the craw, however, is that the announcement was attached to the budget as though the money was coming out of the public purse.

It was doing nothing of the sort. It was out of National Lottery funds. This was not surprising given the venal behaviour of politicians from all parties who had plundered the Lottery to divert funds to causes other than those for which it was introduced.

One of most prominent causes mentioned at the start was sport, and no blame to the GAA for benefitting from those funds.

What has astonished this column this week, at a time when swimming has been shamed throughout the world, is the Government's decision to seek tenders for the building of a 50-metre pool.

How can people get their timing so wrong? It has been the pleasure of this writer to meet both Jim McDaid and Charlie McCreevy on a number of enjoyable occasions. Both are genuine people who are enthusiastically interested in sport. But why, oh why, has Charlie McCreevy announced a grant to Croke Park as though it were part of the budget, and why or why has Jim McDaid advertised for tenders for a 50-metre pool in the very weeks when swimming has been totally disgraced at the world championships in Australia.

Both decisions are welcome and long overdue, but the question arises as to who is advising these decent, hard-working, elected public representatives. I think we should be told!