Outside Leinster House today: Limerick hurler Dan Morrissey, Dublin camogie player Aisling Maher, former Tyrone footballer Gemma Begley and Tom Parsons, CEO of the GPA. Bryan Keane/INPHO
Pre-budget submission
GPA wants inter-county yearly grant upped to €2,500 per player
Currently male players get an average of €1,471, with female players receiving €920.
THE GPA IS seeking an increase in the government grant for inter-county players to an average of €2,500.
Currently, male players get €1,471 on average in the grant. Female players get €920 average, which factors in funding contributions towards their teams.
The players’ union says an increase to €2,500 represents just a 1.5% annualised increase since 2008, when the grants were first introduced.
The overall investment being sought by the GPA is €10 million. The union says this will “help sustain an environment in which players do not have to consider turning their backs on representing their counties”.
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The GPA says this is 1.6% of the €591 million total economic impact generated by inter-county players annually, as per the Indecon Report on the Social and Economic Impact of GPA Players, which was published earlier this year.
A pre-budget submission was made in recent weeks by the GPA.
The Indecon Report, based on figures from the 2023 season, states that players make a significant contribution to the economy, including 4,212 jobs being “directly supported”.
Yet the GPA says players are €1,499 worse off than in 2018, largely due to out-of-pocket expenses for training and competing at the elite level. They add that players are also losing out on €3,500 annually in potential overtime earnings.
The grant scheme was first introduced to provide state recognition of the economic and social impact of amateur players, in lieu of the professional sportsperson tax relief scheme, for which they are not eligible.
The research by Indecon found that if the same tax relief was extended to the professional jobs of inter-county players, it would be worth an average of over €4,000 annually.
Speaking on the publication of the GPA’s pre-budget submission CEO Tom Parsons said: “Since the Indecon Report was published back in February, we have undertaken a series of meetings with the Taoiseach, the relevant Ministers, government and departmental officials, opposition representatives and spokespeople and MEPs, to ensure they are fully informed of the economic value inter-county players are bringing to the table.
“Most, if not all, were already well aware of the social impact inter-county players have.
“These meetings have been constructive and positive.
“The case for an increase in the government grant to €2,500 per player on average could not be clearer. We feel strongly that the time to act is now to show the state truly values our inter-county players.”
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GPA wants inter-county yearly grant upped to €2,500 per player
THE GPA IS seeking an increase in the government grant for inter-county players to an average of €2,500.
Currently, male players get €1,471 on average in the grant. Female players get €920 average, which factors in funding contributions towards their teams.
The players’ union says an increase to €2,500 represents just a 1.5% annualised increase since 2008, when the grants were first introduced.
The overall investment being sought by the GPA is €10 million. The union says this will “help sustain an environment in which players do not have to consider turning their backs on representing their counties”.
The GPA says this is 1.6% of the €591 million total economic impact generated by inter-county players annually, as per the Indecon Report on the Social and Economic Impact of GPA Players, which was published earlier this year.
A pre-budget submission was made in recent weeks by the GPA.
The Indecon Report, based on figures from the 2023 season, states that players make a significant contribution to the economy, including 4,212 jobs being “directly supported”.
Yet the GPA says players are €1,499 worse off than in 2018, largely due to out-of-pocket expenses for training and competing at the elite level. They add that players are also losing out on €3,500 annually in potential overtime earnings.
The grant scheme was first introduced to provide state recognition of the economic and social impact of amateur players, in lieu of the professional sportsperson tax relief scheme, for which they are not eligible.
The research by Indecon found that if the same tax relief was extended to the professional jobs of inter-county players, it would be worth an average of over €4,000 annually.
Speaking on the publication of the GPA’s pre-budget submission CEO Tom Parsons said: “Since the Indecon Report was published back in February, we have undertaken a series of meetings with the Taoiseach, the relevant Ministers, government and departmental officials, opposition representatives and spokespeople and MEPs, to ensure they are fully informed of the economic value inter-county players are bringing to the table.
“Most, if not all, were already well aware of the social impact inter-county players have.
“These meetings have been constructive and positive.
“The case for an increase in the government grant to €2,500 per player on average could not be clearer. We feel strongly that the time to act is now to show the state truly values our inter-county players.”
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GAA grants Pre-budget submission