The GAA have received around 60m Euro from the Irish Government

GAA hopes that they would receive further immediate Irish Government funding for the completion of the Croke Park redevelopment have been dashed.

The news is a blow to the GAA's top brass ahead of this weekend's annual Congress in Belfast.

Irish Sports Minister John O'Donoghue has made it clear that the association will not be given any funding before the end of this year.

Two years ago, the Irish Government announced a grant of 76 million Euro to aid the upgrade of Croke Park but so far the GAA have received only half that amount.

Mr O'Donoghue reiterated that the Croke Park funding had been linked to the Stadium Ireland project.

"It's well known that the GAA have already got a substantial amount of money from the government - well is excess of 60m Euro," said Mr O'Donoghue.

National Stadium options

"The remainder of that money was predicated upon there being an exchequer-funded national stadium.

"Once that fell, then the commitment for funding agreed with the GAA fell with it".

The GAA have made a request for further funding but it will be next year at the earlier before this is looked at again.

The Irish Sports Minister also said that Abbotstown remains one of four possible sites for a national stadium.

Other possibilities are a redeveloped Lansdowne Road plus sites at Ringsend and Newlands Cross in Dublin.

The Irish Rugby Football Union and the Football Association of Ireland are scheduled to announce their preferred option before the summer.