§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Belfast, East on 3 April concerning grants to the Gaelic Athletic Association, what is his definition of restricted membership; if he will list all clubs to which grants have been paid in the past five years that have restricted membership; and in what way the membership of each club is restricted.
§ Mr. GoodhartRestricted membership arises where the rules of a voluntary sports club limit membership on racials, political or other grounds. Restricted membership clubs which have been grant-aided by the Department of Education over the past five years are as follows:
- Bellaghy (Wolfe Tone) Gaelic football club
- Wolfe Tone Gaelic football club, Killyleagh
- John Martin Gaelic football club, Glenn near Newry
- Armagh Gaelic athletic association
- St. Peter's Gaelic football club, Warrenpoint
- Loughinisland Gaelic athletic association, near Downpatrick
- Edcrney Gaelic football club, Co. Fermanagh
- Wolfe Tone Gaelic football club, Lurgan
- Burren Gaelic football club, near Newry
- Ballerin Gaelic football club, near Garvagh
- St. Ergnat's Gaelic football club, Money-glass
- Augher Gaelic football club
610 - Michael Davitt Gaelic football club, Swatragh
- St. Killian's Gaelic football club, White-cross,, Co. Armagh
- Castlewellan Gaelic football club
- Glenullin Gaelic athletic club, Garvagh
- Brackaville Gaelic football club, Coalisland
- St. Comcilles Gaelic football club, Grange
- O'Neills Gaelic football club, Blackwater-town
- Ballyholland Harps Gaelic athletic club, near Newry
- Glenravel Gaelic football club, near Bally-mena
- St. Patrick's Gaelic football club, Maghera-felt
- St. Paul's Gaelic athletic club, Belfast
- Enniskillen Gaelic athletic association
- Erne Gael Gaelic football club, Belleek
- Shamrocks Gaelic football club, Ballinderry
- Patrick Sarsfleld Gaelic athletic club, Belfast
- Lavey Gaelic athletic association, recreation and youth welfare club, Maghera
- Ballvgalget Gaelic athletic club, Portaferry
- St. Mary's Gaelic football club, Killeeshill, Co. Tyrone
- Instonians rugby football club, Belfast
- Collegians rugby football club, Belfast
The following Gaelic athletic association clubs have been grant-aided by The Sports Council for Northern Ireland during this period:
- Glenravel Goelic football club, near Bally-mena
- Annaclone Gaelic football club, near Ban-bridge
- Dunlop Gaelic football club, near Bally-money
- Wolfe Tone Gaelic football club, Lurgan
- St. Mary's Gaelic football club, Ahoghill
- Ballymacnab Gaelic football club, near Armagh
Membership of the Gaelic athletic association is restricted through one of its rules which states (inter alia)
- "British soldiers, navy men and police shall not be eligible for membership of the Association".
In the case of the two rugby football clubs mentioned, membership is restricted to former pupils of the particular schools.