Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will confirm that it is his position that the GAA should cover the cost of the Gaelic players grants scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22724/09]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The funding of the Gaelic players grant schemes is a matter for the Irish Sports Council in the context of the distribution of its budget for 2009. In the agreement reached in November 2007 with the GAA and the Gaelic Players Association, provision was made for the introduction of two schemes through the ISC to recognise the outstanding contribution of senior Gaelic inter-county players to our indigenous sport by meeting additional costs associated with elite team performance and to encourage aspiring teams and players to reach the highest levels of sporting endeavour.

It was agreed that the schemes would be funded through the ISC and the implementation of the schemes was a matter for the ISC and the GAA. An amount of €3.5 million was provided to the ISC in 2008 to fund the schemes. That agreement also provided that the "schemes will be additional to, and will not negatively impact on, existing funding or any future funding, provided by the Government to the GAA through the ISC".

As the Deputy is aware, the ISC has statutory responsibility for encouraging the promotion, development and co-ordination of competitive sport and for increasing participation in recreational sport. The council provides annual funding through the national governing bodies of sport and the local sports partnerships for programmes and initiatives aimed at achieving these objectives.

The Deputy will also be aware that, in addressing the public finances, all areas of expenditure have been examined and the budget in relation to sport, like all areas, has been impacted following this process. Nevertheless, the huge social and economic benefits of sport are acknowledged by the Government and are reflected in the unprecedented level of Government funding for sport over the past number of years.

As I indicated to the House on 28 April of this year in response to Priority Question No. 79, the drastically changed economic circumstances mean that the taxpayer cannot continue to fund the entire cost of schemes such as this as we no longer have the resources required. I have discussed this matter with the GAA which fully accepts the difficulties the Government is facing in terms of funding sport. However, the GAA has made its position clear in regard to the Gaelic players schemes and I fully accept and must respect its position.

In light of the current economic constraints and the reduction in the ISC's allocation of funding in the 2009 Estimates, I am having ongoing discussions with the council on optimum funding options in order to maintain its existing programmes while building on recent progress. The future funding of the Gaelic players schemes is being considered in that context and a final decision on the matter will be made shortly following discussions I intend to have with the GPA shortly.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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I welcome the Minister's last comment that he hopes to meet the GPA and that the matter will be resolved.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I told both bodies I would meet them. I have met the GAA and I will meet GPA.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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This issue is similar to that relating to the Irish Sports Council and as matters stand the GPA is left in limbo. I recall that when these schemes were introduced initially, the Minister disagreed with me that €3.5 million was ring-fenced for it, but that amount was set aside within the Irish Sports Council's funds.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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It was an additional sum of money. That is where the core problem arises.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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That is the real problem. The moneys available for the schemes have now been withdrawn or put into the general pool of funds. It appears that everybody is looking after their own little patch and nobody is willing to compromise on this. Hopefully, the Minister will arrive at some resolution of it fairly quickly because, as matters stand, the Gaelic Players Association is being left in limbo.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Initially, it took an awfully long time to get this issue resolved. The views of those on all sides of the dispute were put on the table and eventually a resolution was reached. It appears now as though that resolution is falling apart. That is partly because the €3.5 million that was provided initially is no longer available. In fairness to the GPA and its players and, as the Minister rightly pointed out, their commitment to the social and cultural life of the country, it is important we find a method or a route to fund the GPA players, as this initiative came from the Minister's Department. That is the bottom line.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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That is what I said in my reply to the Deputy. I am trying to resolve this issue in the context of the overall budget I have. That is not easy because I am not being given much assistance by anybody in terms of their funding allocations to assist in this process. All the messages to me from all involved has been clear. They do not see or would not accept in any way that their funding should be reduced to compensate for creating a fund for the GPA players. That is the position. I have met the GAA and its view has been made clear to me, and I respect that. I will now talk to the GPA.