Mr Ahern's party Fianna Fail is embroiled in a row with its coalition partners the Progressive Democrats over the grant.

Responding to angry questioning in the Irish parliament on Tuesday, Mr Ahern apologised for the "breakdown in communications" and said the issue of other sports in Croke Park would be raised with the GAA.

Earlier on Tuesday, a GAA statement said that lengthy talks over the funding had never involved the use of the stadium for other sports.

The sporting body said negotiations over a number of weeks had focused on holding the Special Olympics at Croke Park and an agreement by the GAA to play a programme of games in Stadium Ireland.

The GAA claim they were given a "clear and firm commitment in regard to funding".

But Mr Ahern later told the Irish parliament: "The Government believes...where sporting facilities are funded by the taxpayers those facilities should be shared as widely as possible to the benefit of the whole community".

"The legal discussions that will go on the offer of financial assistance to the GAA and the FAI will be pursued in that context," added Mr Ahern.

Opposition party Fine Gael called on the Taoiseach to "pause and rethink" the granting of �60 million to the GAA "in the light of what Mary Harney said yesterday".

Deputy Prime Minister Ms Harney said on Monday that the grant promised by Mr Ahern was "still up for negotiation".

Ms Harney's Progressive Democrat colleague, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ms Liz O'Donnell, on Tuesday reiterated comments by the party leader, saying the proposed grant was not a "done deal".

"The fact is this is a partnership government, not a single party government made up of Fianna F�il," said Ms O'Donnell.

On Saturday the GAA voted against allowing sports other than Gaelic Games to be played in Croke Park - 24 hours after the announcement of the government grant.