Readers' Blog: Government interference in voluntary organisations
The success of the Liam Miller tribute match was great to see and I hope that the funds raised will bring some comfort to his family and help them in their future endeavours.
I also want to state clearly that I have no problem with the decision to hold the match in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. While I am first and foremost a GAA supporter, I did play soccer for more than 20 years in my youth and even spent some time with a local club as a uniquely unsuccessful coach.
I have no issue with the GAA sharing its facilities with any other sports.
I do however have an issue with the pressure exerted on the GAA, to allow the match to take place in Páirc Uí Chaoimh by Ministers Griffin and Ross and by the extension all members of the Government.
All sporting organisations in this country provide countless hours of unpaid and safe supervision to tens of thousands of kids, teenagers and adults each week. These people are doing this to give back to the organisation that gave them so much and because they understand that the lesson a person learns by participating in sport are lessons, if learned properly, stay with them for life. Sportspeople learn to accept defeat graciously and victory with modesty.
The reason government supports sporting and indeed non-sporting organisations that contribute positively to coaching kids, is to acknowledge the positive contribution the organisation in question, in this case the GAA, contributes to society. Governments cannot possibly afford to pay for this service from its own resources and therefore provides one-off contributions to local clubs and national organisations to help provide the infrastructure that supports the voluntary work undertaken by these sporting organisations.
Because of the above I believe that the Government overstepped its authority by interfering in the internal decision of the GAA as to whether it should allow the use of the stadium for the Liam Miller event. The GAA was breaking no laws and was entitled to make any decision it felt was for the good of the GAA. Criticism of the decision in the public sphere is perfectly legitimate and while I felt some of the language used lacked a certain imagination the individuals were perfectly entitled to attack the position held by the GAA.
The Government however, overstepped the mark by insinuating that future funding may be dependent on the position taken by the GAA in this case.
Government action to interfere in the internal workings of any organisation should be restricted to ensuring that no illegal activities are occurring or to ensure that the fundamental rights of an individual are not infringed. If the Government wants final say on the use of a stadium then it should build one itself and manage it according to its requirements. I suspect one of the reasons it has not done this to date is because it knows that it would not do half as good a job as the GAA does with Croke Park or as the IRFU/FAI does with Lansdowne Road.
The role of government in financing voluntary or other independent institutions such as local theatres and festivals is always dangerous and I believe that ministers Ross and Griffin overstepped the mark by pressurising the GAA to go with the popular decision and therefore further their own personal standing on the national stage.
Finally I want to emphasise again that I had no issue with holding the Liam Miller event at Páirc Uí Chaoimh and I am sure that his family will get great strength for the incredible support they received from the soccer community on the night and it showed the Irish soccer fan at its best and no doubt that support will be there for the family to draw from in the difficult years ahead.
