Tax breaks for intercounty footballers

Started by Il Bomber Destro, January 06, 2018, 12:02:28 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Il Bomber Destro

Not sure if there is a thread on this.

http://www.hoganstand.com/Article/Index/279567

I think this is disgraceful if I'm honest.

It's an amateur game and no player is being forced to play, they do it because they want to. Elite players do very well out of the game as it is, the likes of Joe Canning, Aidan O'Shea, Bernard Brogan, Lee Keegan, Ciaran Kilkenny etc all profit handsomely from it through sponsored cars, free equipment, money for endorsments, no-show jobs.

Playing intercounty football and the commitment involved should simply be about a will and a want to play the game, not about how much you can make out of it. I don't feel sorry for intercounty footballers and hurlers, it should be an honour to pull on their county's jersey and if they feel it effects their personal life then by all means step away and put your work/family and life balance first.

That FG yokel down in Kerry crying about people losing money due to their personal pursuits. Join the f**king club, every man and woman have choices to make in life, an interest and hobby that can affect work and earnings is not unique to intercounty GAA footballers so why should they get preferential treatment. What about the volunteers who give up their own personal time every week coaching underage and ladies teams (not just in GAA but other local community sporting clubs) - where are their tax breaks?


caprea

You know economically GAA players are probably one of the most valuable sections of people in Ireland.

Programme sellers, match officials, Ground staff, Police, vintners, medical personnel/physiotherapists, journalists and their employers whether print radio or online, Bus/train Drivers, hotels, car park operators, shop owners, burger van operators and on and on...they all get their pockets filled by the intercounty game

So tax wise the government absolutely makes out like bandits from the GAA.

Captain Scarlet

#2
I have no issue with a certain tax band of say 15-20% for all inter-county lads. The player's grant would have to be taken off the table if it came in mind. That would be key. Then that money from the Govt could be used in other aspects of the GAA. It would sit better with me tbh than lads getting money for being a county player.
That is worse in my mind. Lads are getting money in their account for being a county player. The tax break way means they are keeping more of what they earn.

If you look at the amount of money the big matches bring to Dublin over the summer. If you look at the fact most villages have a defacto community centre in the form of a GAA clubhouse then why not?

NB
I would want the player's grant gone if that came in.
them mysterons are always killing me but im grand after a few days.sickenin aul dose all the same.

Rossfan

Davy's given us a dream to cling to
We're going to bring home the SAM

Captain Scarlet

I actually forgot about Arlene and trying to get something done with them...
Artist style tax exemptions the way to go. Any Ulster tax experts here?
Actually, how does the grant work when Sport Ireland is based in ROI?

them mysterons are always killing me but im grand after a few days.sickenin aul dose all the same.

Il Bomber Destro

Quote from: Captain Scarlet on January 06, 2018, 02:04:58 PM
I have no issue with a certain tax band of say 15-20% for all inter-county lads. The player's grant would have to be taken off the table if it came in mind. That would be key. Then that money from the Govt could be used in other aspects of the GAA. It would sit better with me tbh than lads getting money for being a county player.
That is worse in my mind. Lads are getting money in their account for being a county player. The tax break way means they are keeping more of what they earn.

If you look at the amount of money the big matches bring to Dublin over the summer. If you look at the fact most villages have a defacto community centre in the form of a GAA clubhouse then why not?

NB
I would want the player's grant gone if that came in.

Playing for your county should not be about the money you can make from it and that is what it say.

Intercounty players have to make a lot of sacrifices but not really any more than any amateur sportsman. That they get preferential treatment does not sit well with me at all. I think it would be more apt for them to be taxed on their earnings, those lads with the sponsored cars should be paying tax on them, if you had it in a job it'd be taxed as a BIK. This myth that intercounty players, particularly with the big counties, are not well looked after is a bunch of nonsense.

caprea

Quote from: Il Bomber Destro on January 06, 2018, 03:09:54 PM
Quote from: Captain Scarlet on January 06, 2018, 02:04:58 PM
I have no issue with a certain tax band of say 15-20% for all inter-county lads. The player's grant would have to be taken off the table if it came in mind. That would be key. Then that money from the Govt could be used in other aspects of the GAA. It would sit better with me tbh than lads getting money for being a county player.
That is worse in my mind. Lads are getting money in their account for being a county player. The tax break way means they are keeping more of what they earn.

If you look at the amount of money the big matches bring to Dublin over the summer. If you look at the fact most villages have a defacto community centre in the form of a GAA clubhouse then why not?

NB
I would want the player's grant gone if that came in.

Playing for your county should not be about the money you can make from it and that is what it say.

Intercounty players have to make a lot of sacrifices but not really any more than any amateur sportsman. That they get preferential treatment does not sit well with me at all. I think it would be more apt for them to be taxed on their earnings, those lads with the sponsored cars should be paying tax on them, if you had it in a job it'd be taxed as a BIK. This myth that intercounty players, particularly with the big counties, are not well looked after is a bunch of nonsense.

It isn't, it's just a recognition of the value they have to the economy.

If GAA county games stopped it wouldn't just be a GAA issue it would be a national government issue as it would damage businesses and hence harm the economy.

Il Bomber Destro

Quote from: caprea on January 06, 2018, 03:26:40 PM
Quote from: Il Bomber Destro on January 06, 2018, 03:09:54 PM
Quote from: Captain Scarlet on January 06, 2018, 02:04:58 PM
I have no issue with a certain tax band of say 15-20% for all inter-county lads. The player's grant would have to be taken off the table if it came in mind. That would be key. Then that money from the Govt could be used in other aspects of the GAA. It would sit better with me tbh than lads getting money for being a county player.
That is worse in my mind. Lads are getting money in their account for being a county player. The tax break way means they are keeping more of what they earn.

If you look at the amount of money the big matches bring to Dublin over the summer. If you look at the fact most villages have a defacto community centre in the form of a GAA clubhouse then why not?

NB
I would want the player's grant gone if that came in.

Playing for your county should not be about the money you can make from it and that is what it say.

Intercounty players have to make a lot of sacrifices but not really any more than any amateur sportsman. That they get preferential treatment does not sit well with me at all. I think it would be more apt for them to be taxed on their earnings, those lads with the sponsored cars should be paying tax on them, if you had it in a job it'd be taxed as a BIK. This myth that intercounty players, particularly with the big counties, are not well looked after is a bunch of nonsense.

It isn't, it's just a recognition of the value they have to the economy.

If GAA county games stopped it wouldn't just be a GAA issue it would be a national government issue as it would damage businesses and hence harm the economy.

Good man, you managed to contradict yourself there in a few words.

If it's not about earning money, it shouldn't be about earning money and that's exactly what tax breaks for players is about.  When the free state has such huge social issues in health and housing then it really does baffle the minfd that they are calling for lads in their early-mid 20s with free cars, university scolarships, no-show jobs, loads of untaxed earnings and freebies to get even more tax breaks.

What about the value club players bring to the economy or volunteers who ensure that games go ahead, what about the value the people who give up their own time free of charge to make sure underage teams and competitions can run their course, what about their value to the economy? The GAA would not exist without these people, neither would grassroots in other sports like football etc.

Why don't they evict working class families out of their homes and give them free houses while they're at it?

caprea

Quote from: Il Bomber Destro on January 06, 2018, 04:12:01 PM
Quote from: caprea on January 06, 2018, 03:26:40 PM
Quote from: Il Bomber Destro on January 06, 2018, 03:09:54 PM
Quote from: Captain Scarlet on January 06, 2018, 02:04:58 PM
I have no issue with a certain tax band of say 15-20% for all inter-county lads. The player's grant would have to be taken off the table if it came in mind. That would be key. Then that money from the Govt could be used in other aspects of the GAA. It would sit better with me tbh than lads getting money for being a county player.
That is worse in my mind. Lads are getting money in their account for being a county player. The tax break way means they are keeping more of what they earn.

If you look at the amount of money the big matches bring to Dublin over the summer. If you look at the fact most villages have a defacto community centre in the form of a GAA clubhouse then why not?

NB
I would want the player's grant gone if that came in.

Playing for your county should not be about the money you can make from it and that is what it say.

Intercounty players have to make a lot of sacrifices but not really any more than any amateur sportsman. That they get preferential treatment does not sit well with me at all. I think it would be more apt for them to be taxed on their earnings, those lads with the sponsored cars should be paying tax on them, if you had it in a job it'd be taxed as a BIK. This myth that intercounty players, particularly with the big counties, are not well looked after is a bunch of nonsense.

It isn't, it's just a recognition of the value they have to the economy.

If GAA county games stopped it wouldn't just be a GAA issue it would be a national government issue as it would damage businesses and hence harm the economy.

Good man, you managed to contradict yourself there in a few words.

If it's not about earning money, it shouldn't be about earning money and that's exactly what tax breaks for players is about.  When the free state has such huge social issues in health and housing then it really does baffle the minfd that they are calling for lads in their early-mid 20s with free cars, university scolarships, no-show jobs, loads of untaxed earnings and freebies to get even more tax breaks.

What about the value club players bring to the economy or volunteers who ensure that games go ahead, what about the value the people who give up their own time free of charge to make sure underage teams and competitions can run their course, what about their value to the economy? The GAA would not exist without these people, neither would grassroots in other sports like football etc.

Why don't they evict working class families out of their homes and give them free houses while they're at it?

The way the economy works is people have jobs maybe in hotels or shops or petrol stations or driving a bus or taxi and those people get paid money for the work they do. They spend that money on many things including accommodation so they aren't homeless or medical care/insurance for when they are sick so they don't die .

Inter county players are a big part of the economy by the numbers they attract to games or indirectly say by getting people buying newspapers for example. Hence the intercounty players are high value not only to the GAA but to the government.

Therefore tax breaks for intercounty players is in the governments interest.

That is the counter to your argument in your initial post. You can talk about grassroots volunteers and their value to the economy  and I could disagree or agree or have no opinion but  if you want to know why the government are willing to grant tax exemptions to intercounty players I have explained that to you and it is up to you whether you want to accept that or continue arguing.

Captain Scarlet

#9
As it stands all those social issues are not going away and yet the GPA distributed €1.7m last year, and will distribute €2.3m in 2018 and €3m to inter-county players. That is money from the Govt and tax-payers GIVEN to lads who are playing inter-county.

That difference is already there between club and county and some of those millions could go towards other parts of the GAA and trickle down to the clubs with all their volunteers.
The tax system no longer just GIVES money to players, but just takes less from their pay.

Or we could just get rid of the player's grant and leave them their mileage like pre-GPA times.

NB NB NB NB NB

With the Tax option, I would expect the player's grant to be abolished and any benefits to be known to Revenue.


them mysterons are always killing me but im grand after a few days.sickenin aul dose all the same.

Syferus


Il Bomber Destro

#11
Quote from: caprea on January 06, 2018, 04:38:29 PM
Quote from: Il Bomber Destro on January 06, 2018, 04:12:01 PM
Quote from: caprea on January 06, 2018, 03:26:40 PM
Quote from: Il Bomber Destro on January 06, 2018, 03:09:54 PM
Quote from: Captain Scarlet on January 06, 2018, 02:04:58 PM
I have no issue with a certain tax band of say 15-20% for all inter-county lads. The player's grant would have to be taken off the table if it came in mind. That would be key. Then that money from the Govt could be used in other aspects of the GAA. It would sit better with me tbh than lads getting money for being a county player.
That is worse in my mind. Lads are getting money in their account for being a county player. The tax break way means they are keeping more of what they earn.

If you look at the amount of money the big matches bring to Dublin over the summer. If you look at the fact most villages have a defacto community centre in the form of a GAA clubhouse then why not?

NB
I would want the player's grant gone if that came in.

Playing for your county should not be about the money you can make from it and that is what it say.

Intercounty players have to make a lot of sacrifices but not really any more than any amateur sportsman. That they get preferential treatment does not sit well with me at all. I think it would be more apt for them to be taxed on their earnings, those lads with the sponsored cars should be paying tax on them, if you had it in a job it'd be taxed as a BIK. This myth that intercounty players, particularly with the big counties, are not well looked after is a bunch of nonsense.

It isn't, it's just a recognition of the value they have to the economy.

If GAA county games stopped it wouldn't just be a GAA issue it would be a national government issue as it would damage businesses and hence harm the economy.

Good man, you managed to contradict yourself there in a few words.

If it's not about earning money, it shouldn't be about earning money and that's exactly what tax breaks for players is about.  When the free state has such huge social issues in health and housing then it really does baffle the minfd that they are calling for lads in their early-mid 20s with free cars, university scolarships, no-show jobs, loads of untaxed earnings and freebies to get even more tax breaks.

What about the value club players bring to the economy or volunteers who ensure that games go ahead, what about the value the people who give up their own time free of charge to make sure underage teams and competitions can run their course, what about their value to the economy? The GAA would not exist without these people, neither would grassroots in other sports like football etc.

Why don't they evict working class families out of their homes and give them free houses while they're at it?

The way the economy works is people have jobs maybe in hotels or shops or petrol stations or driving a bus or taxi and those people get paid money for the work they do. They spend that money on many things including accommodation so they aren't homeless or medical care/insurance for when they are sick so they don't die .

Inter county players are a big part of the economy by the numbers they attract to games or indirectly say by getting people buying newspapers for example. Hence the intercounty players are high value not only to the GAA but to the government.

Therefore tax breaks for intercounty players is in the governments interest.

That is the counter to your argument in your initial post. You can talk about grassroots volunteers and their value to the economy  and I could disagree or agree or have no opinion but  if you want to know why the government are willing to grant tax exemptions to intercounty players I have explained that to you and it is up to you whether you want to accept that or continue arguing.

Tax breaks for intercounty players is solely in the interest of intercounty players. People who already milk enough tax free cash and benefits. It matters not a jot the the value of the players, this has been created in your head. It doesn't matter if Mick The Savage from Ballymacshit plays for his county or Joe Canning, people will turn up and pay. There is no justification for intercounty players to get further compensated for their hobby and life choices.

Intercounty players are not a big part of the economy, they should not be compensated by the state for pursuing a hobby - that is the be all and end all. If they find the commitment too much, fair enough, walk away, there will be plenty of others who will take their place.

Fair enough if the GAA want to pay them out of their own pocket but under no circumstances should the state be giving further tax breaks to one group of people who want to pursue a hobby and gain a lot of untaxed money and untaxed benefits as it is.

It's the other way it should be going.

Il Bomber Destro

Quote from: caprea on January 06, 2018, 04:38:29 PM
Quote from: Il Bomber Destro on January 06, 2018, 04:12:01 PM
Quote from: caprea on January 06, 2018, 03:26:40 PM
Quote from: Il Bomber Destro on January 06, 2018, 03:09:54 PM
Quote from: Captain Scarlet on January 06, 2018, 02:04:58 PM
I have no issue with a certain tax band of say 15-20% for all inter-county lads. The player's grant would have to be taken off the table if it came in mind. That would be key. Then that money from the Govt could be used in other aspects of the GAA. It would sit better with me tbh than lads getting money for being a county player.
That is worse in my mind. Lads are getting money in their account for being a county player. The tax break way means they are keeping more of what they earn.

If you look at the amount of money the big matches bring to Dublin over the summer. If you look at the fact most villages have a defacto community centre in the form of a GAA clubhouse then why not?

NB
I would want the player's grant gone if that came in.

Playing for your county should not be about the money you can make from it and that is what it say.

Intercounty players have to make a lot of sacrifices but not really any more than any amateur sportsman. That they get preferential treatment does not sit well with me at all. I think it would be more apt for them to be taxed on their earnings, those lads with the sponsored cars should be paying tax on them, if you had it in a job it'd be taxed as a BIK. This myth that intercounty players, particularly with the big counties, are not well looked after is a bunch of nonsense.

It isn't, it's just a recognition of the value they have to the economy.

If GAA county games stopped it wouldn't just be a GAA issue it would be a national government issue as it would damage businesses and hence harm the economy.

Good man, you managed to contradict yourself there in a few words.

If it's not about earning money, it shouldn't be about earning money and that's exactly what tax breaks for players is about.  When the free state has such huge social issues in health and housing then it really does baffle the minfd that they are calling for lads in their early-mid 20s with free cars, university scolarships, no-show jobs, loads of untaxed earnings and freebies to get even more tax breaks.

What about the value club players bring to the economy or volunteers who ensure that games go ahead, what about the value the people who give up their own time free of charge to make sure underage teams and competitions can run their course, what about their value to the economy? The GAA would not exist without these people, neither would grassroots in other sports like football etc.

Why don't they evict working class families out of their homes and give them free houses while they're at it?

The way the economy works is people have jobs maybe in hotels or shops or petrol stations or driving a bus or taxi and those people get paid money for the work they do. They spend that money on many things including accommodation so they aren't homeless or medical care/insurance for when they are sick so they don't die .

Inter county players are a big part of the economy by the numbers they attract to games or indirectly say by getting people buying newspapers for example. Hence the intercounty players are high value not only to the GAA but to the government.


a) And people pay tax, but now some blueshirt yokel from Kerry thinks guys who already get plenty of untaxed benefits and cash in hand should not get further tax breaks because they choose to pursue a hobby that has plenty of financial and lifestyle benefits.

b) The GAA is an amateur organisation, without all the volunteers who work with clubs etc, who give up their own time, free of charge or for frivilous compensation, these games and competitions would not go ahead. So those people are every bit as important to the economy as the players that are put on a pedestal.

Further to intercounty players being invaluable to the Government. What exactly do they give back? The GAA don't pay any tax, the state issues massive grants to the GAA, clubs and county boards every year. Do the GAA even help out with policing costs for big games? Like it or not the GAA is more of a drain on the state than it is a money generator.

The GAA is a very rich organisation, I think it reflects very poorly on it when it's still trying to milk as much out of the state when it should be taking the burden on itself, particularly with some of the social issues around right now but that's politics I suppose.

From the Bunker

#13
I think there should be tax breaks for Volunteers! Volunteers are the whole reason we have sports people! Volunteers are the whole reasons we have community halls. Volunteers are the whole reason we have local plays and dramas! Volunteers are the whole reason we have communities. They give of their free time for the good of the community.

This is a can of worms!

GAA are up their own holes with trying to have Butter on both sides!

Government should stick to more important issues like housing People!


caprea

Be realistic, you can't offer a tax break for every volunteer, there are too many and the system would be abused.

If tax breaks were only of interest to the elite players they wouldn't get them. The reason they could is because it is in the interest of the government to have a strong GAA intercounty game because it generates millions to the bottom line of various different businesses around the country.

I explained it and gave examples, I can't draw you a picture, you don't want it explained, you just want to rant.