GPA call for Cullen to be up front on grants

GAELIC PLAYERS Association (GPA) chief executive Dessie Farrell has called on the Minister of Sport Martin Cullen to make a definite decision on the GAA players’ grants either way – but warned they wouldn’t be letting the scheme go “without a fight”.

With the 2009 championship already underway, the Department of Sport continue to play a sort of guessing game as to what, if any, grant support will be offered this year. There is speculation that some or all of the grant, which last year totalled €3.5 million, will be cut, but for now Farrell was trying to remain optimistic.

“We still have no official confirmation as to what is happening with it,” he said. “The Irish Sports Council are due to discuss it again this week, but we’re still not sure who the final decision actually sits with. There seems to be some confusion over that, so we’re very much in the dark.

“We’ve requested a meeting with the minister in advance of any decision being made, and to put forward our case yet again, but we’ve heard nothing on that yet either. So speculation has been rife. We’ve been well used to that, unfortunately, when it comes to this particular scheme.”

In the past, Farrell has hinted at some sort of GPA protest if the grant was cut over and above that of the general Government cutbacks of recent months, but for now Farrell is holding off on what course that protest may take: “We don’t want to add further to that speculation. We’re just going to wait for the decision. The recession has added to that.

“Some people are saying there are significant cuts, others are saying it is gone altogether, or else just cuts in line with what’s happened already in the terms of Government allocation for sport. But basically we don’t know.

“Obviously it’s a hugely important scheme for us. But any decisions thereafter will be taken on the basis of say what the cuts are, in comparison to other sports. I mean a decision may be taken that players are quite happy with it.

“But we won’t be letting go without a fight. But the issue here is that it should be taken off the minister’s desk. I can’t see any merits in allowing it drag on any longer.”

Speaking in the Dáil two weeks ago, Minister Cullen surprised a lot of people when declaring his belief that the GAA should help with the grants – something which all parties agreed from the outset would not be happening.

“We called on him to clarify those comments,” added Farrell. “He wasn’t in situ when the scheme was announced last year, so I’m not sure how privy he would be to the exact details of the scheme. But the department officials would be very aware of the clause and conditions within the scheme, that the GAA wouldn’t be asked to step up and provide funding if the scheme was reduced or withdrawn.

“As you can imagine, in the current economic climate, players are particularly anxious about the current status of the scheme,” added Farrell. “To reduce the scheme above and beyond what’s happened to other athletes and other codes can only be viewed as discriminatory.

“But the Department of Sport know exactly what funding they have now, so why not make the decision? Let people know, and engage with them? Because trying to operate in the dark is very difficult and very frustrating.”

Meanwhile, the issue of the GPA getting formal recognition from the GAA hasn’t gone away and Farrell intends taking up the matter with new GAA president Christy Cooney: “We’d hope to kick start that process again over the coming weeks. But it’s not a case of starting over.

“There was significant progress made over the last 18 months, and there is plenty to build on to get us across the line.”