Longford GAA referees strike over expenses

Longford GAA referees have gone on strike over issues relating to expenses, after attempts to streamline payments in line with Revenue guidelines.

At the weekend, Wexford referees stated that they would withdraw there involvement in games unless they could be assured that current expenses rates would be maintained.

Suggested guidelines from Revenue for expense payments to referees are €13.71 per match, with a mileage allowance of 50 cent per mile.

But in Wexford, the current system provides a €50 fee to referees for a senior game and €30 for an underage fixture.

Longford referees met last night for a standard in-service course, after which they made a decision to withdraw their services

Longford's Referees Coordinator Joe O'Brien outlined the course of events to Shannonside FM Sport.

"They met for an in-service course, something which has to happen every year, and following that there was a discussion on the new expenses regime that had come down from Croke Park and Revenue," he said.

"Four-fifths of referees in the county were at the meeting, with a few unavoidably absent which I had notification of.

"The new system was announced to the referees at the meeting and there was a long discussion on it.

"Following the discussion the referees took a vote and they voted to withdraw from refereeing until the situation became clearer and until they got clarification."

It means that club fixtures in Longford are now at a standstill, until a solution to this stand-off can be found.

"As far as I am concerned they have withdrawn their services, which means as of last night there is no one available to referee," explained O'Brien.

Judging on the atmosphere surrounding last night's meeting, O'Brien says he would not be surprised if other counties followed suit.

"The feeling at the meeting last night was one of great anger at the way there were being treated.

"Longford referees were getting €40 per senior game and that covered everything mileage, petrol and wear and tear of the car.

"The ruling from (Revenue through) Croke Park is €13.71, plus their mileage of 50 cent a mile.

"Because Longford is so small and most of the referees are centrally based, you would be talking about the vast majority of referees getting half of what they were getting last year."

He added: "The referees have deep sympathy with the Longford County Board. This isn't an issue with Longford County Board, but with Croke Park.

"They see it as a case that Croke Park had, I won't say 'forgotten', but that they didn't see the issue that was arising for club referees.

"Inter-county referees are not affected as such, but club referees are being very badly hit. You must remember that club referees are giving up of their own free time to do this."