GAA Press Release (Download here)

Given the specific recent background of the development of discussions with the GPA (see Annex 1), but also in the wider context of the issues to be resolved, the GAA wishes to state its formal position on the question of recognition of the GPA:

1. The GAA’s serious engagement with the GPA on the issue of recognition, with the full support of GAA Central Council, demonstrates the Association’s good faith in seeking a resolution to the recognition issue. The GAA has long recognised both the validity of a players’ representative body and the potential value to players and Association alike of a partnership in such a context.

2. However, if the GAA is to provide significant funding to the GPA – regardless of the structure of such funding – it can only do so on the basis of the GPA‘s existence as an integral part of the Association. The GAA nationally reinvests virtually all of its revenues directly to Counties and Clubs and is fully committed to the welfare, indeed the enhanced welfare, of all those who play its games. It is essential, both for the players and the Association, that any funds spent on the crucially important area of player welfare are accountable and provide value for money.

3. The GAA centrally is, as indicated, prepared to provide significant funding to the GPA as an officially recognised players’ body. However, as applies in the preparation of our own annual budgets, and also in respect of funding requests from all Club, County and Provincial units, from our sister organisations, and in relation to the many projects of a community nature that it undertakes, the clear GAA policy is to do so only in the context of a project based funding model. Under such a model, appropriate initiatives for inter county players would be approved and delivered based on an assessment in terms of value for money, affordability and their overall benefit to the playing body.

The GAA simply cannot provide funding for any unit or body based purely on a fixed percentage of annual income. The Association already has a substantial fixed annual overhead that must be met from revenue sources that are unfixed, unpredictable and subject to significant alteration due to factors outside the Association’s control. The GAA has to act responsibly in its financial management, and cannot place its financial welfare at risk by committing itself to a permanent arrangement of the kind sought.

4. It is also the view of the GAA that comparisons with other players’ bodies elsewhere and in other contexts are of limited relevance. On every important criterion, the situation in respect of the GAA is profoundly different:
(i) The GAA is an amateur association, while other bodies function in a purely professional context;
(ii) GAA players play our games as a recreation of choice, while others do so as a professional activity;
(iii) The GAA does not exist to make a profit. Indeed, professional sport is increasingly conducted according to the profitability models of business. Sporting entities “invest in” players as, in effect, assets and, very often, must respond to the demands of shareholders.

5. Apart from these fundamental and specific differences, there is a more general context that should be taken into account, and within which the issue of the recognition, status and funding of the GPA must be resolved. This concerns the very nature and ethos of the GAA. The GAA belongs to the tens of thousands of Irish people who participate in GAA activities in their respective local communities, ranging from the selfless volunteers who seek to improve the quality of life, sense of unity and belonging in their communities to those who are spectators of our games. In essence, the GAA exists because of the voluntary efforts of its members; the GAA, therefore, has a core duty of responsibility to all its members. This embraces all of our players, as well as the varying needs of the entire GAA community.

Part of that responsibility is manifested through the huge and growing GAA expenditure on facilities in clubs and communities throughout the country. Notwithstanding these enormous demands on GAA revenue, the Association allocates in excess of an audited €25 million annually in the preparation of inter-county teams and on the welfare of its players. The GAA is able to devote such a significant expenditure in these areas due to funding sources such as gate receipts, sponsorship and broadcast/media revenue.

6. On an annual basis, the GAA reinvests its income in the infrastructural, social and human development of the Association and its members, only ever retaining a tiny fraction of its resources as cash reserves. Even a cursory examination of the audited and publicly available accounts of our County boards, Provincial and Central Councils would confirm that the GAA does not have substantial cash reserves.

7. Notwithstanding all of this, the GAA recognises the hugely important role played by inter county players in the promotion and development of our games and in generating finance that helps the Association to operate successfully at many levels. Hence, in addition to financing projects of a welfare nature, the GAA reiterates its willingness, subject to a resolution of the recognition and funding issues, to: (i) provide administrative funding for the GPA; (ii) provide office accommodation for the GPA; (iii) ensure GPA representation on national committees; (iv) develop joint GAA/GPA sponsorships and opportunities for the benefit of our players and indeed the wider Association.

8. Finally, the GAA wishes to re-state unambiguously its determination to continue genuine and good faith discussions with the GPA with a view to the earliest possible agreement on the recognition and funding issues. However, it is critical that any eventual agreement should not compromise the principles that inform the GAA position and that are at the heart of the Association’s existence and ethos. In other words, the recognition of the GPA must preserve the principles upon which the GAA is based, its internal cohesion, its amateur and voluntary character, and its mission to cater for all its members. It must also, of course, be consistent with maintaining the financial integrity of the Association.

Conclusion

The GAA and the GPA have proved in recent years that they can work together successfully, be it in addressing player-welfare matters or in pursuit of the Government Expenses scheme. In so doing, we have developed a solid working relationship based on the principle of mutual respect. It is the GAA’s wish and intention that, this should be the basis of our future collaboration in the crucial common goal of looking after, and enhancing, the welfare of the players of Gaelic games. To that end and in that context, the GAA is ready immediately to re-enter discussions with the GPA on the matter of recognition, and to devote its best efforts to bringing these discussions to a mutually satisfactory and early conclusion.
Annex 1

Discussions with the GPA on formal recognition

The GAA began a process of consultation with the GPA during the Presidency of Nickey Brennan to explore the possibility of formal recognition of the players’ body by the Association. This process culminated in a series of direct meetings between representatives of the GAA and the GPA in December and January 2008-09.

While it was clear throughout this process that there were differing concepts of the nature of an eventual agreement on recognition – specifically with regard to the structure of funding for the GPA; the necessity or otherwise of a formal link between the two bodies; and, to a lesser extent, the transfer of responsibility for elements of player-welfare matters from the GAA to the GPA – both parties continued seriously to seek a basis for agreement. This phase of the discussions concluded on February 27 of this year when the GAA submitted a document to the GPA outlining a possible framework for recognition of the GPA. The GAA never received a formal response to this document, although there were informal indications that the GPA was unhappy with the proposed funding structure.

Following the installation of Christy Cooney as GAA President on April 18, the GAA indicated to the GPA that discussions on recognition would resume when the new President had an opportunity to settle into his role. The GAA was given to understand that this position was accepted and understood by the GPA, and the first meeting with members of the GPA’s Executive duly took place on the evening of June 8. At this meeting both sides agreed that the issue of recognition needed to be resolved as soon as possible, and the GAA proposed September 30 as the deadline for conclusion of discussions on the issue. At what was a cordial meeting, the GAA requested the GPA to respond formally to the framework document that had been submitted by the GAA in February, and to outline any reservations it may have had.

The GPA response to this request was received two days later, on June 10. The GPA demanded an immediate commitment by the GAA to provide funding of €50,000 per month to the GPA, and also that a final agreement, or at least substantial progress towards an agreement, be achieved by July 1, 2009. In addition to this monthly payment, the GPA would expect such an agreement to include a commitment by the GAA to provide the GPA with 5% of its gross income from all gate receipts, sponsorship and broadcast/media revenue. The GPA also declared that, failing either a full or interim agreement by July 1, it would be left with no alternative but to pursue its own course of action.

This correspondence from the GPA was placed before a meeting of the GAA Management Committee on June 13. Given that the GPA position required nothing less than a fundamental and radical alteration of GAA policy and philosophy, the meeting reached the entirely reasonable decision that the matter should be discussed fully at a special meeting of the Management Committee on July 11, to permit a period of review and reflection by the Committee members.

Despite the obvious need for the GAA to have some reasonable time to consider the matter and despite, too, the fact that the CEO of the GPA and the Director General of the GAA were to be on holiday for a combined period of three weeks between the two Management Committee meetings, the July 11 date was rejected by the GPA. On June 25 the GPA indicated that it would be embarking on the course of action in which it is currently engaged.