Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I am sure we would all agree that the contribution that Gaelic players make to sport in this country, particularly the sports in which they participate, is significant. The difficulty is that the €3.5 million which was given was over and above the funding provided; it came from a different pot and was simply given to the Irish Sports Council to pay out. The problem I have is that this year I do not have that sum of €3.5 million to start with. All I have is the Irish Sports Council grant, having regard to the reduction in it compared to last year's grant. The GPA players rightly say they will take a 10% reduction like everybody else but I do not have the sum of €3.5 million. If the money were to come out of the funds, it must come from the GAA or the IRFU and the FAI and they are not disposed towards providing it. The latter two sporting bodies do not see why they should fund players in a different association. They do not see that as being their role. There is no question but there is a difficulty here. I met the president and secretary general of the GAA and they made their position clear that they see no role for themselves in funding their own players.

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