In a few weeks, the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) and their female counterparts, the WGPA, will be no more. Instead there will be a new name to mark their historic union and, apparently, a clear agenda.
Devising and implementing a method of recompensing elite ladies players for their expenses, particularly their travel expenses, will almost certainly be a top priority.
The GPA made great gains on behalf of male members in this area in 2016, securing funding of between 62.5 and 65 cents per mile from the GAA, a figure reduced to 50 cents for the 2020 campaign as part of cost-saving measures.
Now with the GPA and WGPA joining forces in an anticipated accord, the logical next step will be to campaign for similar mileage rates for women players.
The WGPA’s report ‘Levelling the Field’, released in October, noted that 93 per cent of female intercounty players receive no travel expenses at all. Some spend up to €200 per week on fuel to accommodate training.
That report also highlighted that while the government provided €3m for the GAA’s player grants scheme last year, just €700,000 went to the women’s game.
Asked how, or indeed who, will pay for mileage for women players, WGPA head Maria Kinsella pointed to this inequity in government funding.
“For me, over the last few weeks the inequality in the government funding has been highlighted,” said Kinsella. “This isn’t about females coming into a new combined association looking to take away the pot that has already been there for the male player.
“That has been well earned and has been established over a longer time period. We want to see equal funding, on a parity basis, on a per head basis, from the government. So we want to see increased funding from the government and there is potential use there for some of that to go towards some of the financial burden placed on female players.”
Glaring inequality
It remains to be seen if the will is there on the government’s part to address this glaring inequality.
“We have received communication from the Department of Sport and the Oireachtas Committee on Sport has conducted an investigation under Niamh Smyth, the chairperson,” said Kinsella, a current Carlow footballer. “I look forward to contributing to that investigation in January, 2021. Likewise, we look forward as a new combined association to contributing to the independent review conducted by Sport Ireland on this matter.”
What would happen in the event of funding being retained at €3m and €700,000, creating a €3.7m pot, is an intriguing question. Given the new according between the GPA and WGPA, would that pot be simply split in two?
“I think that decision is the decision of the Department of Sport and what policy our government of Ireland wishes to have for sport,” said GPA chief Paul Flynn. “We will present our cases, about the importance of investment in Gaelic games and in the players and they will make that decision. That’s ultimately been the situation right through this process with the government grants.”
Extraordinary General Meetings of the GPA and WGPA on Monday night voted overwhelmingly – 100 per cent support from GPA, 96 per cent support from WGPA – to join forces, creating a new 4,000 strong players union, to be officially titled next month.
A Transitional National Executive Committee has already been established and this will be replaced by a new NEC between April and June which will proportionally represent the group’s female and male members.
Few are better placed than Flynn, an All-Ireland winner with Dublin married to Fiona Hudson, a former All-Ireland ladies winner with Dublin, to explain just why the coming together was necessary.
“I have lived through a career whereby I have watched my wife get less than I have got right through my career, but putting in the same effort,” said the father of two. “It just isn’t right. Look, it’s not accepted anymore. We have stated in our constitution that it is about promoting gender equality and working towards equal investment.”
