Is football being short changed?
21 March 2011
Statement by TUV Leader Jim Allister:-
“When Nelson McCausland gifted £61m to the GAA for stadium development he matched it by announcing an identical award to football. Mere coincidence, of course!
“Ministers can only lawfully commit money within the 4 year budget term, anything beyond that is merely aspirational. It is my understanding that whereas the £61m of largesse to the GAA is scheduled to be donated for expenditure within the four year fiscal term, not all of the football money may be so included, with much of it in what is euphemistically termed a 6 year programme. If so, there can be no certainly that anything beyond the 4th year will ever be paid.
“I am, therefore, calling on the Minister to urgently clarify when the money is scheduled to be paid over to each sport. Having headlined parity in the figures announced, it would be deceptive and wrong to have in fact scheduled the funding so that the GAA is guaranteed £61m, but football is not.”