The threat of a GAA players' strike moved a step closer this morning after the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) called an emergency general meeting over the issue of player grants.
The move comes in the wake of the GAA's non-attendance at last week's meeting between the GPA and the Minister for Sport, John O'Donoghue, where Government grants for intercounty players was to have been discussed.
O'Donoghue refused to discuss the grant scheme with the players' body unless a representative from Croke Park was in attendance.
The GPA have been highly critical of the GAA's "inconsistent" and "apathetic" approach to the scheme, as well as "a host of other player welfare issues".
"The GPA does not accept the slow rate of progress on the grants proposal," a GPA spokeswoman said. "Despite a number of supportive statements by GAA officials and endorsement by Central Council over a year ago, the GAA has failed subsequently to engage with the players on this issue culminating in last week’s failure to attend a critical meeting with the Sports Minister."
When pressed as to whether the membership would be balloted on strike action at the egm, which will be held in Portlaoise on April 1st, a GPA spokeswoman stressed they were "not ruling anything in and not ruling anything out".
"The issues will be discussed on the evening and it's up to the membership where we go from here."