GAA: There is no provision for funding to the GAA in relation to its redevelopment of Croke Park in the 2003 Estimates for spending on Sports and Recreation Services.
The total provision of €112 million for sport includes a €60 million allocation for grants to sporting bodies under the Sports Capital Programme, which is National Lottery funded, and which is money that will only meet payments in respect to commitments already made and to be made in 2003.
The GAA is still awaiting an outstanding €38 million allocated by the Government 18 months ago for the redevelopment of Croke Park, but that pledge was since revisited in light of the decision not to provide Exchequer funding for the National Stadium.
The Government has informed the GAA it would have to reapply for funding, and that application will need to be referred by the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue, for special funding consideration by the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy.
Several sporting grants are to be reduced as a result of the tapering off on one-off projects - including the Aquatic Centre at Abbotstown (down €38 million) and the Special Olympics (down €6 million) - with the requirement for grant disbursements to projects approved already under the ACCESS Programme and Swimming Pool projects next year expected to be some €10 million less than this year.
Another allocation of €8.4 million for 2003 represents the balance of funding required to complete the National Aquatic Centre, on which almost €60 million has been spent over the past two years. A provision of €6.349 million also represents the final instalment of the Government's pledged contribution towards the costs of hosting the 2003 Special Olympics.
The Irish Sports Council's expenses and aid will be cut by one per cent to €1.432 million.
