Commenting on a £800,000 grant to Antrim GAA TUV South Antrim Assembly candidate Richard Cairns said:
“The recent announcement by the Culture Minister of the best part of a million pounds of funding to Antrim GAA will outrage many people. It is clear under Sinn Fein/IRA control, and indeed even before they took the Ministry, DCAL provide disproportionate funding to GAA in relation to other sports.
“Just a couple of weeks ago we learned that from a briefing to the DCAL committee that a museum may close because of budget cuts. Additionally, there was a warning that school programmes, library book stock and funding to some sports and arts organisations faces drastic reductions.
“Yet the Minister can still find £800,000 for Antrim GAA!
“It’s clear that the Minister is allowing her Republican background to influence her decisions in matters such as this while essential services and programmes – which would be open to availed of by all sections of the community without any of the Republican baggage of the GAA – are facing an uncertain future.
“It seems that – unlike everyone else – there is no austerity for the GAA when it comes to government funding.”