A New Minister for Sport on the Way

Lone Shark · Post by **Lone Shark** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 4:34 pm

John O'Donoghue has taken on the robes of the Ceann Comhairle position today, meaning that we're looking at a new minister for Sport. I won't lie - I'm delighted. I know all politics is local, but that man is ridiculously biased towards his own - a lawn bowling club in Killarney had a better chance of getting a capital grant than a GAA club in Offaly in recent years. I'd also be of the view that his stance on Thomas/Davis/Shamrock Rovers affair would also have been very contrary and may yet be found to have been unlawful.

Obviously there won't be anyone from our constituency filling the position, but from a GAA position, who would ye like to see? Eamon Ó'Cuív would probably have a healthy bias towards the GAA over other organisations and be the first minister in years to allocate in accordance with the popularity of the sports, but I'd say myself he's heading for a demotion. I can't see it going towards the Greens who'll angle for Transport or Energy and Environment, but maybe we could do worse than someone like Willie O'Dea, much and all as he has that goblin like cut about him. People in FF aren't particularly happy with the way he landed two quotas for himself and yet still failed to bring in a third seat in a five seater where the party got almost 55% of the vote. He certainly won't go up the ladder, and for a guy like him this might be seen as a demotion.

I'd be awful worried that Martin Cullen might get the nod. Another guy who thinks his job as Minister is to wangle as many sweets as possible for his own constituency, we'd be right back to where we were before, only this time it would be Passage Gun Club who'd be getting ridiculous largesse at the expense of worthier causes. The cupboard is fairly bare though - tis an awful pity Jimmy Deenihan finds himself on the wrong side of the house.....

Sydthebeat · Post by **Sydthebeat** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 4:52 pm

Minister of Sport seems to be berties 'last stop station' post for out going TDs... Mc Daid 10 years ago, O donohue 5 years ago.... therefore id bet Martin Cullens is odds on for it...... especially after the transport debacle.....

another option may be seamus brennan......

I think O Cuiv will probably be Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs again....

azoffaly · Post by **azoffaly** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 6:02 pm

I wouldn't be surprised if the Greens landed this portfolio, along with d'Environment. I can see demotions for Roche and maybe Cullen. There are whispers that Groucho, I mean Willie O'Dea, might even get a promotion to Justice!!.

Harney will stay in Health, Cowen will stay in Finance, with the Tainiste title as well.

I'll say the Greens for Environment and Sports/Art/Tourism. I'll say Brian Lenihan to be promoted to Defence. O'Dea to move up to Justice and Roche to get the shaft.

Sydthebeat · Post by **Sydthebeat** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 6:56 pm

seamus brennan it is....

Lone Shark · Post by **Lone Shark** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 7:10 pm

I wouldn't be sure about his background, whether he'll be more likely to favour other "south Dublin" sports disproportionately, but having said that I'd be happy enough that he wouldn't engage in the type of Parish Pump stuff that this ministry is famous for.

I thought we'd be rid of Cullen, but seemingly not.

Ah well. Can't have everything.

Sydthebeat · Post by **Sydthebeat** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 9:00 pm

lets look forward to having the next taoiseach.......

(unless he decides to spend all his spare time over in sunderland!!)

arbarg · Post by **arbarg** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:52 am

Wouldn it be legendary if Cowen had got the job!!
Imagine the benefites Clara GAA would have, The mad hoor would probably build a 60,000 seater stadium on the site of the current clara market. And hand out free beer at half time.
Ah..wishful thinking

Allez

Bord na Mona man · Post by **Bord na Mona man** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:04 am

I think O'Donoghue made a mistake in backing Rovers at the expense of all others. Even if they got their stadium, they'd never show a bit of gratitude for it, such is the sense of entitlement they seem to have.

DD · Post by DD » Fri Jun 15, 2007 10:40 am

Bord na Mona man wrote:I think O'Donoghue made a mistake in backing Rovers at the expense of all others. Even if they got their stadium, they'd never show a bit of gratitude for it, such is the sense of entitlement they seem to have.

In fairness it's not practical for Gaelic Games - they'd basically have to knock it (or at least knock a substantial part of it) and rebuild it and if that was the case everyone would be up in arms at the money wasted in doing so.
Making it available for underage GAA matches etc would be some sort of compromise.
O'Donoghue is still a clown though..

ballymanabroad · Post by **ballymanabroad** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 1:19 pm

DD is right. The curve of the stand means that a full size GAA pitch cannot be accommodated and you cannot move the pitch away from the stand as the border of the ground is up against a development but you could play underage games there. In fairness Thomas Davis have very good grounds and seem to me to be looking for it all.

Lone Shark · Post by **Lone Shark** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 4:04 am

ballymanabroad wrote:DD is right. The curve of the stand means that a full size GAA pitch cannot be accommodated and you cannot move the pitch away from the stand as the border of the ground is up against a development but you could play underage games there. In fairness Thomas Davis have very good grounds and seem to me to be looking for it all.

I think the issue they'd have, and I can appreciate this, is the ridiculous largesse that has been shown to Rovers in this case. Rovers have already performed a cheeky little accounting trick that got rid of a lot of their liabilities, and the SDCC were among those who suffered in this regard. It's all very well to pretend otherwise, but TD are competing with Rovers for the hearts and minds of the youngsters in the Tallaght region. If Rovers came in, did the hard work and fundraised and bought their own land with 20% or 30% grant aid I'd say there would be little or no issue. It is particularly galling to work hard to build up what they have on Kiltipper Road only for a brand of proven tax cheats to come on in and be handed a 6,000 capacity stadium for free.

It's all very well saying that it's not logical to accomodate GAA in the site as it stands, but nothing about this project so far has been logical. Politicians in Ireland are worse than most for governance by whatever way the wind is blowing or naked self interest rather than by any kind of notion about what is the right thing to do, so in that environment surely it was worth it for them to take the shot? It may yet work out.

DD · Post by DD » Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:40 am

Lone Shark wrote:
ballymanabroad wrote:DD is right. The curve of the stand means that a full size GAA pitch cannot be accommodated and you cannot move the pitch away from the stand as the border of the ground is up against a development but you could play underage games there. In fairness Thomas Davis have very good grounds and seem to me to be looking for it all.
I think the issue they'd have, and I can appreciate this, is the ridiculous largesse that has been shown to Rovers in this case. Rovers have already performed a cheeky little accounting trick that got rid of a lot of their liabilities, and the SDCC were among those who suffered in this regard. It's all very well to pretend otherwise, but TD are competing with Rovers for the hearts and minds of the youngsters in the Tallaght region. If Rovers came in, did the hard work and fundraised and bought their own land with 20% or 30% grant aid I'd say there would be little or no issue. It is particularly galling to work hard to build up what they have on Kiltipper Road only for a brand of proven tax cheats to come on in and be handed a 6,000 capacity stadium for free.

It's all very well saying that it's not logical to accomodate GAA in the site as it stands, but nothing about this project so far has been logical. Politicians in Ireland are worse than most for governance by whatever way the wind is blowing or naked self interest rather than by any kind of notion about what is the right thing to do, so in that environment surely it was worth it for them to take the shot? It may yet work out.

I'm dissappointed in you LS on this one - you're giving that typical look down the end of your nose that Gaels can give towards soccer. Thomas Davis, Marks, Annes etc have always had great competition from soccer in Tallaght, maybe more so than anywhere in Dublin yet these clubs continue to go from strength to strength.
Rovers already have their underage set up based in Tallaght so the fact that their senior team doesn't play there is immaterial in terms of youngsters taking up or sticking with a particular sport. If anything Rovers are more of a threat to other soccer clubs locally then the GAA clubs.
I agree with you on the point of Rovers being fortunate to be given the stadium considering their financial plight but they just happen to be the anchor tenants. The ground will be ideal for U18/U21 soccer internationals, U21/A Rugby Internationals etc (although the D4 lads might find D24 a bit hard to stomach) and we badly need a modern stadium to accomodate these fixtures.
With LOI soccer moved to the summer months, I supopose another factor has to be the limit to the number of games played on the pitch so that will have to managed also
TD & the other Tallaght clubs have excellent facilities and I can't see any benefit in their re-location to the new ground other than getting one over the "soccer boys". If there wasn't a block laid, I'd be all the idea of co-sharing between SR & TD but right now a bit of cop on needs to be applied and get that stadium finished.

Bogman · Post by **Bogman** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:15 am

I have to say that I'm totally in DD's corner on this one, for the reasons that he sets out very clearly.

I'm a closet Rovers fan so I might be biassed but I feel very strongly that Thomas Davis and the other Tallaght clubs have behaved disgracefully. In fact I tackled somebody involved with Thomas Davis who's an ex-work-colleague of mine and said that their action made me despair about Irish society - nothing in the Irish news has made me more angry in the last few years than their dog-in-the-manger attitude.

Bord na Mona man · Post by **Bord na Mona man** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 10:01 am

A couple of things.
Thomas Davis facilities aren't overly impressive. They have pitches on Kiltipper Road that are completely overused. Their club house is more functional than lavish.
Tallaght is nearly twice the size of Offaly. Do people really think that having two big clubs, St Marks and Thomas Davis and a couple of small clubs like Croi Ro Naofa is sufficient?

Healthy competition with soccer?
The GAA doesn't register in South West Dublin. It is as much a minority sport in Tallaght as clay pigeon shooting is on Offaly.

If Rovers can get a stadium built for them for free, on a site that was originally given to SDCC by Thomas Davis themselves. Well fair play to them.

However if a GAA club wanted a facility built for them practically 100% subsidised, they would be laughed out of town.
If a precedent is being set here that sports groups get lavishly funded, despite how they spend/waste any income they have, well then that's great news for everyone.
Offaly GAA, who have never defaulted to revenue (€1.5 million in Rovers case) are now hitting all patrons hard to fund the ground development in Tullamore.

Why should Offaly have to raise nearly all of the funds for Tullamore, yet Shamrock Rovers get their stadium for free?
Can anyone justify that?

DD · Post by DD » Wed Jun 20, 2007 10:48 am

Bord na Mona man wrote:A couple of things.
Thomas Davis facilities aren't overly impressive. They have pitches on Kiltipper Road that are completely overused. Their club house is more functional than lavish.
Then they need extra pitches, not a stadium that is going to be huge demand by several sports.
I see know reason why they shouldn't be allowed use the other Stadium facilities - these should be available for all.

Tallaght is nearly twice the size of Offaly. Do people really think that having two big clubs, St Marks and Thomas Davis and a couple of small clubs like Croi Ro Naofa is sufficient?

Healthy competition with soccer?
The GAA doesn't register in South West Dublin. It is as much a minority sport in Tallaght as clay pigeon shooting is on Offaly.
Rubbish - I can't give you numbers on membership but these are thriving clubs. I can't see a lot of benefit in having several additional clubs in the area. They provide hurling and football for 4 yr olds up.
Soccer is always going to be the number one sport in any urban area, but there is room for all.

If Rovers can get a stadium built for them for free, on a site that was originally given to SDCC by Thomas Davis themselves. Well fair play to them.
I can't comment on the SDCC/TD site as I no nothing about it.However if a GAA club wanted a facility built for them practically 100% subsidised, they would be laughed out of town.
If a precedent is being set here that sports groups get lavishly funded, despite how they spend/waste any income they have, well then that's great news for everyone.
Offaly GAA, who have never defaulted to revenue (€1.5 million in Rovers case) are now hitting all patrons hard to fund the ground development in Tullamore.

Why should Offaly have to raise nearly all of the funds for Tullamore, yet Shamrock Rovers get their stadium for free?
Can anyone justify that?
On this I agree fully, Rovers shouldn't get it for free, the least they should have to do is pay a subtantial rent to the SDCC/other body.

BTW before anyone thinks I'm a Rovers fan, I can tell you I have no time for them whatsoever.

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