Bob Ryan: GPA deal only ‘a proposal’

Cork Central Council delegate Bob Ryan says the GAA’s new framework agreement with the GPA is not a done deal. 

At the end of last month, the Association announced they had accepted terms of a new three-year agreement with the official players’ body, which could see the GPA funded to the tune of €23 million by the end of 2019.

However, as part of that deal, the GAA’s agreement to provide a minimum of €2.5m or 15% of their yearly income from media rights has been viewed as excessive in some quarters, especially at club level.

Former county chairman Ryan told Cork club delegates at Tuesday’s board meeting more information will be provided to clubs about the proposal before any final decision is made at the end of the year.

“In my Central Council report, I requested that no debate would take place until we could inform the clubs properly with documentation in relation to the proposal other than what people had read in the media. I wasn’t saying that what was in the media was wrong or right but I wanted it to be a properly informed debate based on form rather than conjecture.

“We got a presentation at the last Ard Chomhairle meeting and that was the first time we were informed of the proposed deal. And it is not a deal. Central Council then gave authority to the committee negotiating with the GPA to continue their work with a view to concluding the whole thing at the November meeting of Ard Chomhairle. So it is not a deal as of now; it is a proposal.”

Ryan says clubs’ views will be taken into consideration when delegates report back to Central Council. “We as delegates have a duty to come back and inform our clubs at county board meetings and we’ll take direction on it. There was no documentation released to clubs as of it but it will be released.”