Looks like dropping a high incoming ball is something of a specialty with North Kerry politicians, remarks An Fear Rua ...
Remember a few years ago when Dick Spring TD, in the colours of Ireland, failed to hold a dropping ball in Lansdowne Road and cost Ireland a Triple Crown? The same Dick hates to be reminded of this episode, which of course, is exactly why AFR is doing it! Ask Albertus Magnus, the Longford Slasher Reynolds, and he'd probably say Dick spent most of his time in politics dropping clangers, if not balls. Now, the latest Kerry politician to join the 'Fabien Barthez School for Butter Fingers' is none other than Fine Gael's Sokesperson on Sport and Recreation, Jimmy Deenihan.
You'd imagine drafting a Sports Policy for the main opposition party in the run-in to a General Election would be a bit of a doddle. And Jimmy has the huge advantage of having won five senior All Ireland football, so he can't be accused of lack of knowledge or experience.
However, Jimmy doesn't seem to know what he wants on the issue of funding either existing or future stadia for soccer, rugby and other sports and how this should be integrated with the development of Croke Park. His policy is a bit like the story of oul 'Leanna Machree's Dog' ... who was prepared to go a bit of the road with everyone who passed by.
Jimmy himself probably badly wants to give the GAA future Government funding without any strings attached. However, the Politically Correct Dublin 4 Brigade, who still have quite a say in Fine Gael policy-making, despite the departure of Doctor Garret 'Two Shoes' FitzGerald Himself, want to force the GAA to give up their exclusive rights to Croker in return for any Government dosh. Interestingly, the only sports organisation singled out for this 'strings-attached' treatment is Dis Great Assooosheeayshun Of Ours!
Naturally, that good man, GAA President Seán MacCague, is not prepared to take this lying down. In a statement today, MacCague strongly criticised Fine Gael's Policy Document on Sport. Interpreting the document as implying that funding for Croke Park should be conditional on opening it up for other sports, Sean McCague described it as an "attempt to manipulate GAA policy.for their own political agendas and expediency".
McCague insisted that "matters of policy are issues for our membership through Congress alone". He said that the GAA's responsibility is to develop its own sports and infrastructure, claiming that the Association's investment in Croke Park and other stadia nationwide equates to "hundreds of millions".
Citing a "colossal and unparalleled" contribution to the economy, McCague insisted: "We expect funding commensurate with our investment and we will not and cannot accept funding that is conditional relative to the use of our grounds or change of our rules."
Jimmy was interviewed on RTÉ's 'News At One' about all this and sounded like he'd much rather be back training the Junior C team in his native Finogue than trying to field some of Seán O'Rourke's high dropping balls.
Anyway, how long before one of the shrewdest politicians around, FG Leader Michael Noonan, sniffs how the breeze is blowing on this one and calls poor Jimmy back to the Subs' dugout or persuades the Ref to show him a red card?
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