Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 81: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views on the Gaelic players grant scheme and on whether it is appropriate that ring-fenced funding was available in 2008, yet in 2009 he is not supporting this programme with ring-fenced funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16355/09]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I refer the Deputy to Priority Question No. 79 which I have answered earlier today.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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I wish to raise a number of points on this issue. The Minister's predecessor, the late Mr. Séamus Brennan, stated that the issue has been debated and discussed for several years and that as the Minister with responsibility for sport, he took the view that it was important to end the continuing uncertainty and to bring finality to the matter. Everyone was pleased there was what we believed to be finality at the time. Subsequently money was ring-fenced within the Irish Sports Council for this grant in 2008 in the amount of €3.5 million. That provided the council with dedicated extra funding which has not been provided this year. Last year, the Irish Sports Council had a dedicated fund for the GPA which has been effectively dispensed with this year. What is it supposed to do in terms of providing funding? Why is the funding not ring-fenced again this year as it was in the previous year?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The funding was not specifically ring-fenced. An extra allocation was made if I recall correctly, although I was not responsible for the matter at the time. I am being perfectly frank with the Deputy. We are in very different and difficult circumstances and while I would be very pleased to allocate €3.5 million for the GAA players and would have no difficulty with that, the difficulty is that the budget, as with all other budgets, has been reduced and people are trying to find a balance in respect of where the resources should be allocated.

There are sporting areas in which we could improve. We are aware of these and are trying to support very small organisations on relatively small budgets. However, those budgets make a substantial difference in getting some of the raw athletes up to elite level. Cutting such budgets would not contribute much to the €3.5 million required. One must consider the bigger picture which I suggested in response to Deputy O'Mahony's question. I am not saying these players are not deserving of it, but others could and should step up to the plate. I do not believe the entire responsibility should be on the taxpayer. Unfortunately, we are in very different economic circumstances and I simply do not have the resources which were available in the past, nor does any other Minister.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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The GPA has been in touch with all of us. It makes the point that it would agree to take a proportionate cut similar to any other organisation and it has no difficulty with that. Does the Minister not believe it is somewhat unfair that last year it had money guaranteed and now it would appear the players are in total limbo again and there is no commitment from anyone that they will be given the money? They need clarity on the matter soon.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I hope clarity may be brought to the matter as soon as possible. I am simply setting out the parameters and a decision must be made within those parameters. I accept that people do not wish to be in limbo. Grants were paid out at the very end of the season last year. I am unsure of Deputy O'Mahony's view generally speaking rather than on the politics of the issue. He is at the coal face as a practitioner. This is a difficult issue with which to deal.

John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The principle of the grants should be maintained. As Deputy Upton stated, whatever percentage cut comes with other areas should be applied. My understanding was that it was not ring-fenced but that there was an instruction from the Minister's predecessor, Mr. Brennan, to find the money within the budget. The reason I put the question today is to urge the Minister to do the same within the current budget.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Perhaps I am not putting it across very well, but the point is there are myriad non-governmental bodies and national sporting bodies which receive small grants which barely keep such organisations going. Such bodies are nonetheless important to try to sustain a given sport. There simply is no room to take money out of such allocations and one would not find €3.5 million in any case. If one examines the difference in the size of the Irish Sports Council grant from last year, some obvious conclusions may be drawn. We either stop funding many small sports altogether to maintain what everyone on the Opposition seeks or we do not. This is the challenge we now face. The State and the taxpayer has rightly provided substantial resources for capital projects which are now generating substantial returns. This will continue for the other bodies when the Lansdowne Road project is completed. Where does the responsibility for player welfare lie? In some respects the national body, the GAA, would say it is directly responsible for player welfare, but it cannot be both.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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There was a protracted and difficult process before a resolution was reached but we arrived at a resolution. The Irish Sports Council did not ask to be the agency to deliver the money. It did not volunteer to do so, but that role was foisted upon it. In 2007, the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism stated that an amount of €3.5 million would be provided in 2008 to fund such schemes. We simply cannot turn back the clock now, leave the players high and dry, say it is over and that they may go and sing for their supper because the money is no longer there.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I would apply that to a range of areas in many different Departments; it is not exclusive to my Department. I understand the bona fides of the point made by the Deputy, but the reality of Government is that one must make choices which are sometimes very difficult. We are also criticised for not reducing public expenditure substantially. One cannot have it both ways. It is either one or the other and one tries to find a balance. I realise it is a luxury of Opposition to suggest that we should maintain it but I am setting out what the parameters are in an honest way. Hopefully, we will come to a conclusion and that is the reason the Irish Sports Council is there.