asked the Minister for the Environment if he will introduce the necessary amending legislation to exempt GAA clubs from rates on their playing fields and club property.

Sports clubs, including GAA clubs are already exempt from rates on their playing fields. Furthermore, rates relief is allowed by rating authorities on sports club premises, including those of the GAA, that qualify for such relief in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government (Financial Provisions) Act, 1978.

When did the 1978 legislation in regard to club houses apply to local authorities?

I cannot recall but I suspect it was in 1978 or, at the latest, 1979. The legislation gives each local authority discretion to grant rates relief.

In my question I asked the Minister to amend the legislation to exempt them from rates.

Sports clubs generally are, by legislation exempt from rates in relation to their playing fields. In relation to other facilities such as club houses, sports clubs have the right to apply to local authorities seeking a waiver of rates as long as they fulfil certain reasonable conditions. Various clubs have applied successfully to local authorities to have the rates in respect of their premises waived. I should mention that that waiver of rates applies only to any portion of premises in relation to which a licence under the intoxicating liquor Acts does not apply. It is interesting in the context of that to realise that the total amount of rates payable by GAA clubs is approximately £200,000 per annum but between 1984 and 1986 GAA groups received grants of £4.276 million from various Government Departments in addition to grants of approximately £486,000 from local authorities over the same period. When one compares the revenue from the rates that clubs pay to the substantial amount of Government and local authority grant-aid one will see that clubs are not exactly in a disadvantaged position.

Is the Minister aware of the tremendous work being done by the GAA? Will he ensure that all playing fields under the aegis of the GAA are exempt from rates?

I am conscious of the important part in the area of sport and community life which is played by the GAA, as are the Government. That is the reason why grants of almost £5 million have been paid to GAA groups by the Government in the course of the last three years. I should like to assure the House that playing fields owned by the GAA or other sporting clubs are automatically exempt from liability for rates.