Tyrone and Donegal vote against GPA recognition

By Colm O’Connor

Thursday, December 03, 2009

TYRONE and Donegal have voted against the GAA’s proposal to formally recognise the Gaelic Players Association. The counties will oppose any steps to come to a formal agreement between the Association and the players’ body when Central Council meets Saturday.

Central Council is expected to draw up a motion for next April’s Congress supporting the document on the agreement announced last month but the developments in Ulster will be a blow to the proposed deal.

The Tyrone county committee discussed the issue this week, and chairman Pat Darcy said the mood was firmly against the formal recognition of the GPA.

"The view was that we would not support the Central Council in drawing up a motion to go to Congress to recognise the GPA," said Darcy. "Our view is that if the GPA want to become a part of the Association, they can become affiliated like any other unit."

He said Tyrone officials have a number of concerns over proposals to officially recognise the GPA, not least proposals to allocate significant funding to the organisation: "Why should we have to give them €1.3m?"

While the current county committee has come out strongly in opposition to recognition, a new committee will be in place by the time a motion on the GPA’s recognition comes before Congress next April. But the stance from Tyrone, where opposition to the GPA has been strong since the inception of the body, is unlikely to change in the meantime.

Said Darcy: "Central Council meets on December 5 to discuss the proposal, and will draw up a motion to go to Congress in April. Our view is that the new county committee that comes in, in January will decide how they should vote in April.They will do that in consultation with all the clubs. It will be up to the new committee to debate it and decide how to vote at Congress."

Meanwhile the chief concerns amongst Donegal officials was the proposed funding provided by the GAA for the GPA.

Delegates requested that the final vote on the matter be postponed until January to allow them more time to gather information. But when central council delegate Brian McEniff said a decision had to be reached before the weekend, the proposition was unanimously opposed.

The delegates expressed most of their concerns over the funding being provided for the GPA; especially the provision of €250,000 in 2009 for administration, given that we were now in the month of December.

Ulster council delegate Terence McGinley felt the GPA is elitist and should be renamed the "Gaelic County Players Association." He also expressed his belief that the issue was being rushed through. "Far too many people in the organisation are being paid and then they talk about the amateur status," he said.

Cork GAA chiefs will discuss the issue at a special meeting of the county board tonight.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Thursday, December 03, 2009