GAA stars' grant should increase to €2,500, says players association chief

The GPA have asked that the government's grant scheme for inter-county male and female players be increased from €1,400 per player.

POLITICAL FOOTBALL: Tom Parsons was speaking at this afternoon's press briefing in Dublin where the GPA's Pre-Budget Submission 2025 was revealed. Pic: INPHO/Bryan Keane

Gaelic Players Association chief Tom Parsons says it's time for the government to catch up and invest properly in inter-county players.

Parsons was speaking at this afternoon's press briefing in Dublin where the GPA's Pre-Budget Submission 2025 was revealed.

Their principal ask is that the government's grant scheme for inter-county male and female players be increased from the current €1,400 average per player to €2,500.

As things stand, the government invests €5.6m in the scheme per year and the GPA has called for this to be almost doubled to €10m.

According to the conclusion of the submission, 'these proposals are modest, evidence-based and within the context of the policy of existing support since 2008. They are also a belated catch-up relative to where players were in 2008. The world, however, has changed since then'.

The submission ended with the claim that it is 'time for the government to catch-up and meet the enthusiasm, skill and civic spirit of inter-county players with a contribution towards their costs that would better, if only partially, meet their outlay and commitment. This is about fairness, respect and the opportunity to invest in what is completely unique to and the very best of Ireland'.

The original pot of funding for the scheme, which initially went to male players only, was €3.5m.

Parsons said it is a huge frustration that the grant he received at the time whilst playing for Mayo is larger than what his counterparts in 2025 now receive.

"In 2025, how funding of players is less than it was in 2008, and yet we're still hearing all the sound bites that we get when we meet government officials about cultural heritage, its importance, its social importance, the economic impact it has...look, the 'whys?' are so strong," said the GPA's CEO.

Parsons was joined by GPA officials Gemma Begley, Aisling Maher and Dan Morrissey at today's briefing.

Dublin camogie star Maher pointed to the huge costs now associated with being an inter-county player, and the inevitable drop outs as a result.

"Your participation shouldn't cost so much that you can't afford to play," said Maher. "I think it's really important that we move in line with the cost of living crisis and the expectation that's on players in terms of their nutritional costs and sleep and everything else that goes with playing. Everything costs money and that's going to create a barrier if expense payments don't increase in line with the cost of living."

As part of the proposal for increased recognition and funding, the GPA stated that hiking up the average grant to €2,500 in 2026 would be 'the first step in a series (of increases) over the life of the government to deliver an annual grant of €4,000 by 2030. This would represent an annualised 1.5% increase since 2008 to reflect inflation and rising costs'.

The GPA has been in contact with Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers as well as Junior Ministers for Sport Patrick O'Donovan and Charlie McConalogue.

It's understood that five MEPs, including former GAA President Sean Kelly, have also weighed in with their support in the form of a written letter to Finance Minister Paschal Donohoue.

The MEPs noted that 'amateur players who generate almost €600m in economic impact, support over 4,000 jobs and contribute EUR62m in exchequer revenue annually should be given due recognition of their worth'.

The MEPs added that this is a 'modest investment' which, broken down, amounts to €2.80 per day which, Parsons added, doesn't even cover the protein intake of a typical inter-county player.