Players and Minister deadlocked over grants

THE GAELIC Players Association (GPA) remain deadlocked in negotiations with the Department of Sport over the continuation of the Government’s players’ grants. Monday night’s face-to-face meeting with the Minister for Sport, Martin Cullen, failed to signal any significant breakthrough, prompting speculation the GAA may yet intervene in some way to help ensure the long-term survival of the scheme.

Association chief executive Dessie Farrell and chairman Donal Óg Cusack fronted the GPA argument that the continuation of the grants remains one of their key issues, and that they weren’t willing to accept a cut above and beyond that experienced by other sporting associations in light of the economic panic.

In a one-sentence statement issued last night, the GPA merely confirmed that “talks have taken place” with Cullen and his department officials but they’re “making no comment on the issue at this point”. It’s over two weeks now since Cullen clarified reports citing the apparent end to the grants by claiming “the door is not closed” and that he was in fact looking at ways to put the scheme “in a more long-term, sustainable position”.

However, it was made certain that Cullen wasn’t in a position to continue with the €3.5 million scheme as introduced just last year, and that significant adjustments would have to be made: “The draw-down on this particular area doesn’t come into play until the end of the year,” he added. “I don’t like the uncertainty, and I’m sure the players don’t like the uncertainty, but I have one or two ideas that I want to talk to the GPA about.”

Exactly what those “ideas” are remain unclear, and while Cullen would have outlined them on Monday night, so far the GPA haven’t shown much mood for compromise. In fact they have indicated that they wouldn’t accept any compromise whereby the smaller, less successful football counties would be excluded.

To add further heat to the issue, Tyrone footballer Seán Cavanagh last week indicated that the players were willing to take action if the scheme fell through: “I would imagine if the GAA grants are completely thrown out, there would be some course of action maybe down the line,” he said. “On what that might be I’m not too sure . . . Any players I’ve been speaking to, and any feedback I’ve been having from the GPA, is that something would be considered.”

The GPA have also declined to make any further comment on their planned protest over the GAA’s continued refusal to offer them formal recognition. As announced last Friday, no GPA members will be co-operating with RTÉ or TV3 in the build-up to live coverage of both Leinster football and Munster hurling on July 12th.

Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney has already given his backing to that protest: “I’m here to manage football team,” he said.

“The GPA thing is something to do with the players, but if they make a decision, I’ll back them to the hilt.”