Board chiefs seek clarity on players’ fund

COUNTY Board chiefs expect clarification of the agreement reached between the GAA and the Gaelic Players Association on the distribution of the proposed Government funding.

On the specific issue of the payment of ‘out of pocket expenses’ — for which the bulk of the money (€3.7m) would be made available to squads — there is agreement that the mechanics of the system needs a lot of explaining. In general, however, it seems that the consensus view is that if the money is made available from Exchequer funds, it should be availed of.

“We are moving into an area where we have not been before,’’ commented Kilkenny Chairman Ned Quinn.

“I welcome the idea of better player welfare, it’s just a question of deciding the methodology of it,’’ he stated, reflecting the views of several leading county board officials contacted yesterday.

It’s proposed that 75% of the proposed funding would be available for players out of pocket expenses arising from their participation in inter-county senior squads and, crucially, that this money would be channelled through county panels ‘Finance Sub-committees,’ which are provided for under GAA rules.

Interestingly, players will be required to submit claims for expense reimbursement — for a variety of costs under the headings of: special dietary needs, training gear, motor expenses, communications, gym equipment and medical.

In the event of the grant scheme being implemented, Quinn agreed it was important that it was administered by county boards. “At the moment, however, I think the ball is very much in the Government’s court!’’

Kerry secretary Eamonn O’Sullivan accepted that the finer details of the scheme need to be better explained, commenting: “the mechanics are not very clear. A lot of matters will need to be finalised in relation to county boards. There is an awful lot of clarification needing to be given.

“We assume it’s meant that the ‘out of pocket’ expenses will be in addition to what players already receive — in this county for instance — the official mileage allowance (50c), gym membership and payment for all medical/physiotherapy/MRI bills.”

With physiotherapy bills accounting for about 80% of costs, he pointed out that last year Kerry County Board spent in the region of €100,000 under the general heading of ‘medical.’

“You have physio for training obviously and follow-up treatment either through training sessions or long term privately. And under the Players Injury Scheme there is only a limited recovery of money that is spent in this area.’’

Mayo Secretary Sean Feeney welcomes the idea that players could be reimbursed for extra expense incurred in the course of preparing for an All-Ireland final.

“Players do spend a lot of money around this time,’’ he commented.

One area of possible conflict, highlighted by another official who preferred to remain anonymous, could be where players were supplied with something like drink supplements.

“If these are supplied pre-season and on-going through the year, would players be able to claim for them. If so, they would hardly refund the money to the county board.’’

On a more positive note, the Kilkenny Chairman is wholeheartedly in favour of the establishment of a national players ‘Hardship Fund.’

“I understand that this would apply to club players, as well as inter-county players. This is an area where we have fallen down on in the past, where if you stop playing and you continue to need treatment you can be easily forgotten about,’’ he said.