The GPA yesterday laid out their list of priorities for talks with incoming GAA president Nickey Brennan. None of the issues is new and they are led by a call for support from the GAA in lobbying the Government over the issue of grants for players.
A further five points cover a number of areas from player welfare and the club fixtures crisis to the recognition of the GPA through talks to establish a code of entitlement. In response the GAA stated when a formal communication was received, the issues of concern to the GPA would be examined and considered with a view to making recommendations to the Management Committee and Central Council. Brennan confirmed his meeting with the GPA on May 2nd will go ahead and that he intended addressing the issue of players' welfare generally at Congress later this month.
Chief executive Dessie Farrell and the other GPA representatives were at pains to rule out any agitation based on pay-for-play and instead emphasised the welfare agenda as well as his stance on deadlines. "See the list of demands," he said. "This is what the GPA is about. There's no reference to semi-professionalism and no reference to professionalism. This can be taken at face value . . . These are pre-requisites in modern intercounty hurling and football. We're going to have discussions internally and devise a time frame for each issue. There has to be an audit of player welfare. There are players waiting for surgery because specialists won't deal with county boards because they already owe them money.
"We're not looking for pay-for-play. Professionals get tax breaks, amateurs get grants. Who's left out? GAA players who probably generate more revenue for the Exchequer than all of those other sports."
Organisation president DJ Carey was critical of the way in which the GAA had deferred any decision on backing the players' campaign for grants, pointing out when it wanted to, Croke Park was more than capable of moving swiftly on an issue. He cited the recent example of the municipal stadium in Tallaght (which the Government is refusing to fund for any use other than soccer).
"Take the Tallaght case. The GAA are demanding a meeting with the Government over that but when dealing with a players' issue they don't have the same urgency." Carey also spoke out on the question of players' insurance cover. Answering questions about the relatively poor take-up by players of improved schemes, he made the case for the GAA to contribute more. "It's an organisation taking in a huge amount of money. The GAA will pay a minimum towards insurance. Volunteers are always being praised for cutting the grass and getting the dressingrooms ready but the same people will raise money to make up the shortfall. Injuries should be covered down to the last penny."
On the matter of recognition the GPA agenda also states: "Funding for the association through a percentage of income from appropriate revenue streams will be an integral part of this process."
This is a reference to television rights revenue, a share of which the GPA has previously sought in line with player organisations in other (professional) sports. The final demand calls for the Croke Park advertising ban on Club Energise, a key sponsor of the GPA, to be lifted - a prohibition that has greatly annoyed the players' group.
GPA secretary Kieran McGeeney said the list was intended to highlight players' concerns as well as to engage the GAA. "We hope that for a change the GAA talk to us instead of kicking us into touch . . . This is about players' rights."
