GAA won't offer grants bail-out

GAELIC GAMES NEWS:THE GAA won't be stepping in to the breach should the Government reduce or indeed remove their player grant scheme, which continues to face an uncertain future after just one year in operation.

Neither the Government, nor the Irish Sports Council, which ultimately distribute the funding, have yet to confirm what, if any, grant money will be made available for 2009 – except to hint that a reduction seems inevitable.

“We’ve made it clear from the outset we won’t be stepping in to fill any void if the Government money doesn’t become available, for whatever reason,” said GAA operations manager Feargal McGill, who since his appointment last summer has also taken over responsibility for player welfare.

“The whole scheme was based on additional expenses over and above the GAA expenses, which are distributed in a very clear and straightforward way.

“When the Government scheme was agreed it was very clear there was no appetite among our members to get involved outside the context of GAA expenses, and also given the obvious parameters of Rule 11, which governs amateur status.

“The Sports Council are still waiting on news of possible further budget cuts, and in the meantime we have requested a meeting with the Minister for Sport.

“But unlike maybe some other Government-funded schemes, we do have some time to play with, in that this doesn’t come into play until after May 1st, when championship panels come into play, so it is slightly different.”

Last month, some 1,800 senior intercounty players shared the €3.5 million Government pay-out, with the amounts received ranging from €1,400 to €2,500.

According to McGill, the distribution process went smoothly: “We had a couple of very minor hitches, like a wrong bank account number, but nothing we couldn’t deal with. So overall, we would be happy with the way it was carried out.

“We will meet with the national scheme committee in the coming weeks to review the process, and look at the future of it.

“And while most of the money was drawn down, not all panels claimed the maximum amount, and which instead goes into a team development fund. We’ll be asking panels over the coming weeks where that is to be spent.”

Yet comments by Minister for Sport Martin Cullen in the Dáil late last year suggested the scheme would be on the chopping board, given the inevitable sporting cuts across the board.

In the Budget, the Sports Council’s funding was reduced from €57.631 million to €53.026 million – a drop of around eight per cent, but further cuts now seem inevitable, and probably explains why the Sports Council have yet to agree core funding for national governing bodies for 2009.

McGill also commented on the delay in announcing the outcome of the hearing into Kerry footballer Aidan O’Mahony’s positive drug test, after last September’s All-Ireland final.

The three-man anti-doping committee (Adrian Colton, Dr Pat O’Neill, and Seán McCague) concluded their hearing last Wednesday night, but then reserved judgment to review the closing submissions of the three parties involved – O’Mahony’s legal team, and that of the GAA and the Sports Council.

“I think the important point to note in this matter is this hearings committee are volunteering,” said McGill, “and are busy with other aspects of their lives, so from that point of view it can take a bit longer than a normal judicial hearing.

“It was also important they give the careful consideration that it deserves. But their decision is expected by the end of this week.”

Elsewhere, former Limerick and Tipperary hurler Mossie Carroll has been confirmed as the Kerry senior hurling manager, to succeed Pat Heffernan. Carroll will retain one of the outgoing selectors, DJ Leahy from Causeway, with another to be appointed in the coming weeks.

Dublin football manager Pat Gilroy has announced a preliminary squad from which he will select the 24-man panel to face Tyrone in the opening game of the National Football League in Croke Park on Saturday week .

Ruled out were Alan Brogan (hamstring) and Eamon Fennell (knee) while Declan Lally has been brought back into the panel after strong performances with the development squad.

The Kilmacud Crokes players were not considered due to club championship commitments.

DUBLIN(SF squad v Tyrone): P Andrews, D Bastick, K Bonner, S Breheny, G Brennan, B Brogan, J Brogan, B Cahill, P Casey, S Cluxton, P Conlon, D Connolly, B Cullen, C Daly, T Diamond, E Dolan, Eamon Fennell, P Flynn, Hugh Gill, D Henry, A Hubbard, C Keaney, D Lally, R McConnell, T McGrath, B McMenamon, D Mooney, C Moran, D Murray, R O'Connor, S O'Shaughnessy, T Quinn, D Ryan, S Ryan, M Savage, J Sherlock, S Walsh, C Whelan.