Galling to hear GAA not looking after player welfare

Friday, July 03, 2009

"IT LOOKS like this coming weekend’s game will be the last time we will hear from inter-county players on TV and radio as a result of the edict last week from the Gaelic Players’ Association (GPA).

It is a subject I cannot go into in much detail right now due to my membership of Coiste Bainistí and Árd Comhairle. However, it is worth reiterating again that some issues have been in the public domain for some time now and this seems to have been forgotten by a number of commentators.

The funding of the Player’s Expenses Scheme for 2009 is currently on the desk of the Minister for Sport, Martin Cullen. Despite comments from some quarters, the GAA has been steadfast in its support for the scheme.

The concern expressed only centred on the mechanism for paying the expenses and once this was resolved, the GAA played a huge role in managing the administration of the scheme. It is important to reiterate, that there was a written guarantee from the GPA that they would not expect the GAA to fill any void created as a result of the Government not paying the expenses in 2009.

In relation to the issue of recognition of the GPA by the GAA, it is well known that a document was sent to the GPA in February this year proposing such a move. Given the urgency with which the GPA wanted formal recognition finalised, it was rather surprising that no response, not even an acknowledgement, was received by the GAA up to the April Congress.

It is rather galling (not for the first time) to hear comments that the GAA is not looking after the welfare of its players. I am sure every County Board must be scratching their heads wondering what they spent over €20m on their inter-county players (all grades) in 2008, with another €9m paid out on the player’s injury scheme (this scheme also includes club players).

* This article appeared in yesterday’s Kilkenny People newspaper

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Friday, July 03, 2009