GAA president Mr Seán Kelly has insisted that yesterday's Government grant of €40 million is not part of any quid pro quo in return for allowing soccer and rugby be played in Croke Park, even while Lansdowne Road is being redeveloped.
"There are no strings attached," Mr Kelly said last night. "I think that needs to be emphasised. There have been a lot of things said about Rule 42 [which prevents other codes playing at Croke Park]. Some said that the IRFU and FAI don't want it [Croke Park\], that it's not suitable.
"Others have said that we'd have to make undertakings if we got any more money from the Government. But that hasn't happened. The matter can be looked at independently now, not influenced by that particular issue."
Another consideration in yesterday's announcement was the Government's undertaking, in a joint venture with the FAI and IRFU, to give €191 million towards the planned redevelopment of Lansdowne Road, which was announced earlier this year.
Former minister for finance Mr Charlie McCreevy agreed to pay the €40 million to ease the GAA's debts in one of his final acts in office, it also emerged last night. The €40m will be given out to the GAA in two payments by the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr John O'Donoghue, who announced the decision yesterday evening. The decision followed an agreement between Mr O'Donoghue and Mr McCreevy, just hours before he left office on Wednesday following the Cabinet reshuffle to become European Internal Market Commissioner.
Mr Kelly said: "I think Charlie was keen to leave office with his desk clear so to speak, and without people saying that he hadn't honoured Government undertakings."
Total grants to the GAA towards the stadium amount to €109,836,000.
Though he welcomed the support for the GAA, Fine Gael TD, Mr Jimmy Deenihan said the Government is only honouring a promise made in 2001. "It is a very generous gesture. This certainly will help, but they are just getting their fair dues. Now they can spend money elsewhere on developing the games in urban areas where they have been losing out."
The €20m payment this year from Arts, Sport and Tourism will come from savings made in the Department's Sports Capital Programme caused by delays in the construction of other projects, including swimming pools.
Expressing appreciation to Mr McCreevy for the support that he received, the Minister, Mr O'Donoghue, said the "final" grant to the GAA was a cause of "particular satisfaction" to him.