GPA throw in the ballon tax exemptions
Angered and frustrated at the lack of progress they were making on the issue, the GPA effectively set up camp opposite the Dáil in Buswell’s Hotel yesterday from which they made their latest pitch to the Finance Minister. As publicity coups go, this was a highly effective shot across the Government’s bows.
For much of the day, politicians from all parties crossed Kildare Street to lend their support to the players’ organisation. Many accompanied Mr Farrell and company back across the road to hand in a petition in protest of the section of the 2002 Finance Bill which Mr Farrell claims is discriminatory towards his membership.
“It’s interesting to see that the provision was made for professional sports people and it wasn’t for amateur sports people,” Farrell said yesterday. “A lot of amateurs felt discriminated against.
“Is that government policy now, that professional sports people are more important than amateurs? The bedrock for all sport is the amateur ethos. It’s a dangerous policy to differentiate in that regard,” he said.
Former Wexford manager Tony Dempsey, a party colleague of Mr McCreevy’s in Leinster House, was just one of the TDs on hand to lend his support.
“I have an argument that the only difference between professional players and inter-county senior footballers and hurlers is that one group is paid and the other isn’t,” said the Fianna Fáil TD.
“I support totally Charlie McCreevy’s tax advantage to professionals. I do believe that there will be a time to do this (for amateurs), whether it’s now or later and I know because Charlie would be keenly aware of the input of players.”
Politician-speak was nowhere to be found among the GPA representatives all around Mr Dempsey though. Dessie Farrell and Limerick footballer Muiris Gavin both alluded to the anger of inter-county players.
“Never before have I witnessed this level of anger and frustration among inter-county players,” Mr Farrell pointed out. “There have been strikes in Cork and there has been talk of doing this, that and the other but generally players can be apathetic on issues. But this is the issue that has lit the fire under all players.
“The ground reps who work at county level for us have been questioned time and time. Players have gone out and actively lobbied politicians in their constituencies,” he said.
When Mr McCreevy challenged the GPA to think outside the box in 2002, he cited, quite legitimately, the concern that a precedent would be set and other special interest groups would seek similar concessions if GAA players were offered tax exemptions.
The GPA reacted with a proposal that would include only amateur athletes who were liable to drug testing by the Irish Sports Council, who are fully supportive of the GPA’s stance.
Effectively, 6,000 athletes nationwide from a wide range of sports at a cost of €12m per year to the Exchequer are eligible under the scheme. “Saying the floodgates would open doesn’t stand up to scrutiny because we’ve ring-fenced,” Mr Farrell explained.
“The cost to the Exchequer would be known in advance each year. The number of athletes who qualify would be known each year.
“From the point of view of the floodgates opening, that is not going to happen. The Sports Council are the strategic gatekeepers on this. It’s only athletes who are liable to drug testing, so it’s in the high performance category.”
The GPA has been the driving force in keeping this issue at the forefront of the public’s mind. The GAA is also considering establishing a committee to examine the matter but, while Mr Farrell welcomes their support, he believes that sitting around a table isn’t going to produce the desired results.
“I’m not sure a committee is the answer to this,” he said. “It needs a full and lengthy debate and it is only now when you see TDs face to face with players that they get the chance to hear what’s going on at the coal-face, the hours they put in. It’s only then that they realise what demands are involved at this level.”
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