Minister: Katie Taylor's Croke Park Fight is a GAA Matter

Minister for Sport Patrick O'Donovan says the government will not get involved in any discussions about Katie Taylor potentially fighting in Croke Park after the Irish fighter aired her hope of a swansong at the home of Gaelic games before retiring from the ring. Taylor, 39, has long declared her ambition to box at the stadium, though time is running out for the Bray woman after she revealed on Tuesday that 2026 will likely be the last year of her boxing career. Minister O'Donovan was asked if government could do anything to make the fight happen. But he shut down any prospect of getting involved in discussions between Taylor's camp and the GAA. "One of the very important things that national governing bodies has is independence," said Minister O'Donovan, speaking at the announcement of a record investment of €33.36m in funding support to sporting organisations through Sport Ireland. "And whatever Croke Park decide to do with regard to Garth Brooks or Oasis or anybody else is entirely a matter for the GAA and Croke Park. "It's never appropriate for a Minister to tell the national governing bodies of sport what they should do with their assets. But I want to thank her for everything that she has done for Ireland. Obviously, she has given an enormous lift at a time when we needed it, and to wish her the very, very best of luck on whatever the road has in the next chapter in her life. "We don't do commercial interactions between national governing bodies and how they use their assets to grow their own revenue or for what they want to use their facilities for. That's for them, and it's a matter for the GAA." Minister O'Donovan also addressed the appearance of two rowers - Monika Dukarska and Sanita Puspure - at a private session of the Oireachtas sport committee on Wednesday to discuss the culture in Irish rowing. It follows a lengthy piece by The Sunday Independent last November, with the committee to investigate complaints about safeguarding policies . "I know they're before the Oireachtas Committee today," the Minister added. "I know that some of the media reports are troubling, to be quite honest about it. They don't paint the organisation in a great light, but I hope that there's another side to the story. "But as I say, they have had significant investment both in terms of capital and in terms of current from the government through Sport Ireland over the last number of years. "So, it's my intention to go to Cork in the not-too-distant future and engage with them. But obviously, look, today's deliberations in the Oireachtas Committee will shed some degree of light. "I mean, obviously, give them an opportunity as well to put on the public record their side of the story, which I hope goes some way in terms of clearing up what is being reported in the media at the moment is quite troubling. "Any time that you have a national governing body of sport being brought before the Oireachtas Committee with regard to governance or with regards to media reports, ordinarily, it's normally not good, to be honest about it. "I want to engage with them separately. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt. I'll obviously look back over today's proceedings and watch it after the fact. Then I hope to be down in Cork, as I say, within the next couple of weeks, just to see, first of all, the level of investment that we've made. I was there as a Minister of State. But secondly, as well, to hear their plans for the future in terms of governance, reform, oversight and expenditure." A record investment of €33.36m in funding support has been pledged to sporting bodies for 2026. It's a 6.5% increase on 2025 levels and an 87.4% increase on the €17.8m investment in 2018, when the National Sports Policy was published. Special Olympics Ireland have received the highest NGB allocation (€1.732m), followed by Athletics Ireland (€1.333m), Swim Ireland (€1.275m), Horse Sport Ireland (€1.16m) and Basketball Ieland €980,000. Reflecting on the funds being pumped into various sporting bodies, Sport Ireland CEO Dr Úna May said: "This investment reaches a very large number of governing bodies and we are very keen to ensure that everybody recognises that there is a sport out there for everybody. "It's being important that people are active and that they engage with a sport and we want to ensure that there's a diversity of opportunities. So this funding is critical all the way through from the highest funded governing bodies to the volunteer-led governing bodies who need that support to exist and to provide those opportunities for the public."