The Gaelic Players Association (GPA) have hit another stumbling block in their effort to have extra Government funding diverted to the GAA for player welfare. Minister for Sport John O'Donoghue has agreed in principle to provide extra funding for the coming year once the GAA and the GPA agree on how it should be best used, but in the meantime, the GAA are seeking clarification on how much money will be made available.

Funding of €5 million has been mentioned in recent weeks by the Minister, but at Tuesday's meeting of the GAA and the GPA, the lack of an exact figure developed into something of an impasse.

"We have come very close to finalising this thing," said GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell, "and have definitely reached a very advanced stage. But there are one or two minor issues that we hope to have sorted out in the coming days.

"One of those is the GAA seeking clarification on the exact amount of funding that will be made available. The figure out there is €5 million, and the Minister has gone on record with that figure, so there is no reason to believe that amount won't be made available at this stage.

"So it really is just a matter of the Minister getting back to the GAA on that one, and then taking hold of our proposal. We're still hopeful of making a final decision on that in the coming days."

Also speaking yesterday, the Minister declined to confirm the exact amount the Government intended to make available: "Letters have been exchanged," he said, "and we have been receiving correspondence from the GAA, and the GPA, and in turn we have been in correspondence with them. But beyond that all I can add at this stage is we have already said we would make funding available provided agreement was reached between the GAA and the GPA, and that remains our position.

"I have given an indication to the GAA of the kind of funding we anticipate we would make available over a full year. But the entire logistics have to be worked out, and I don't want to become involved in megaphone negotiations with them, other than to say we are talking to them, we are in correspondence, and I'm hoping we can resolve it. I understand they have been in contact with us again in recent days, and we are studying that at the moment."

The offer first materialised last November on the back of the GPA's long-standing request for individual player grants. As various obstacles appeared, it was suggested extra funding could be made available to the GAA, thus allowing other revenue to be diverted to improving player welfare. When pressed on a possible closing of the issue the Minister added: "Sure with an election imminent there is pressure on us to close every deal in the land."

Meanwhile, the GPA yesterday announced 64 scholarships to third-level students, making it the largest GAA scheme of its kind in the country. Since the scholarships were initiated six years ago, 170 players have benefited.

The scholarships are awarded using funds generated from the sale of Club Energise, and will see each student receive €1,000 towards their education to help sustain their commitment to Gaelic games during the academic year.

The colleges involved are Athlone IT; Carlow IT; Cork IT; Dalhousie University, Canada; DCU; DIT; Dundalk IT; GMIT; Letterkenny IT; Limerick IT; NUI Galway; NUI Maynooth; Queen's; Sligo IT; St Mary's, Belfast; UCD; UEL; UL; UUJ; Waterford IT.