GAA and GPA edging towards agreement on new charter

The GAA and GPA have reached an agreement, in principle, on a charter that should prevent the risk of any player protests next season, as happened earlier this year.

GAA and GPA officials are still finalising details on an updated contact hours policy, but negotiations on that are also said to be at an advanced stage and nearing a conclusion that is acceptable to both parties.

It is hoped the players’ charter and contact hours policy will be approved by all stakeholders, the GAA’s Central Council and GPA’s national executive committee, before Christmas – allowing it to be in place for the start of the 2023 intercounty season.

Officials from both the GAA and GPA have been in negotiations for many months on the issues that created a standoff between the players’ body and Croke Park earlier this season – during which time intercounty footballers and hurlers refused to conduct media interviews or participate in GAA sponsorship events.

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At the heart of the impasse has been expenses, the number of collective training sessions that should be permitted and the limit of 32 players covered per panel.

During the pandemic the GPA agreed to a request from the GAA to reduce mileage to 50 cent per mile. When the GPA then looked to re-establish the rate of 65 cent per mile with no limit imposed on the number of sessions, a road-block developed.

The GAA initially looked to maintain the 50 cent rate and that a maximum of three collective sessions/games per week would be covered. But after the GPA’s public stance, in mid-March the GAA restored the 65 cent rate but the number of training sessions to be covered remained in disput as Croke Park wanted to limit it to four. Anything beyond four sessions was to be negotiated locally, with the county boards having to cover the costs.

In May, the GAA and GPA agreed an interim deal to cover the 2022 season but discussions have been ongoing for many months now to try to reach a more lasting resolution.

And it appears both parties have managed to find a way forward that will prevent the threat of player protests in 2023.

Everything which has been agreed by the negotiating teams is subject to approval from the GAA’s Central Council and GPA’s executive. Central Council meet next in early December. Tom Parsons, the GPA CEO, is hopeful a pathway has been cleared to facilitate an acceptable alliance on all of the issues.

“We have an agreement in principle, we still need to get it over the line on a contact hours policy,” said Parsons.

“We have put a lot of work in, we are moving in the right direction and I foresee that this side of Christmas we are going to be in a good place where we have a charter and contact hours policy in place.”

It is believed the restrictions on panel sizes have been addressed, an issue the GPA were keen to resolve.

“Our position on it has always been that the charter has to protect every single player,” added Parsons. “One of the biggest challenges we had last year was that it protected 32 players and then outside of the 32 you were at the mercy of a local agreement. We’ve been very strong on that.

“When you are in an environment where you are subject to the same training load as everybody else, the same anti-doping regulations and the consequences of being injured in that high-pace environment, then you should be treated the same as the colleague you are sitting beside in the dressing room.

“So that was definitely a very significant part of the discussion and I think something that will be positively addressed and resolved.”

More immediately, Parsons will be among the Warriors for Humanity group travelling to Kenya tomorrow as part of a campaign to highlight the impact of climate change and raise funds to support Self Help Africa’s ambitions to plant one million trees.

Fifty intercounty players, male and female, who have each raised €10,000 will be on the trip which will involve exhibition Gaelic football and hurling/camogie games in Nairobi.

“It is not just planting one million trees, it’s about real proactive solutions to it, allowing Self Help Africa help farmers set up a business to harvest the trees, grow fruit, supply food for 50 years, shelter for building,” said Parsons.

“I think it will definitely give us some gratitude with what we have in Ireland and I think we’ll come back from the week with a different perspective.”