Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The interest of the Department of Education and Skills was a real bailout, given what was happening.

In terms of the marketing strategy that was circulated to committee members, and Mr. Murnane has spoken about other stadia in regional towns when responding to Deputy Murphy, is it proposed to sell the tracks in Mullingar or other regional towns? Does Bord na gCon propose to become a niche market? Will it lose its footprint in rural regional areas? The track in my home town of Navan closed 20 years ago and Lidl has built on it now. By selling off the dog tracks, I know the sport lost a footprint in a regional town and lost the local patronage. If Bord na gCon takes a decision to go for regionalisation it will narrow its footprint. Bord na gCon admits in its marketing strategy that stadia once seen as a key hub have become less connected to the community. If the board continues with the strategy of narrowing the market rather than expanding is it not on a slippery downward spiral? The GAA succeeds as an organisation because it is in every single parish in the country.