Meeting of Grassroots to Discuss our Strategy re GPA

[INDIANA]

they get mileage and a meal- hardly payment. i wonder will umpires be looking for grants as well- or maybe waterboys? a pandora's box has been opened that won't be closed. just wondering when the first court case will hit when some player sues the gaa because they can't move to another county to maximise their earnings.

[darbyo]

Refs do get paid, it's €40 a match for mens and €20 for womens (I think).

[stephenite]

Would be interesting to see if Dessie takes up the offer of a debate

http://spailpin.blogspot.com/

[Bogball XV]

Yes and they will be able to produce expenses in most cases to show that there is no tax on the "grant"....

How will they be able to set expenses against the grant??  Afaik, players are already reimbursed for expenses incurred for, well, for whatever, travel, kit.....  Basically, players do not want to go down the road of starting to show receipts for expenditure actually incurred, if that happened, and assuming that the reimbursements from county boards is in excess of the expenses incurred, well they may have more tax to pay.
What I'm essentially saying is that I cannot see what expenses they will be able to deduct from this grant, any expenses they incur by virtue of being a county footballer are currently reimbursed, thus these cannot be deducted, as they are no longer expenses.  This grant, as I understand it is to recompense players for the 'non-specific' costs of being a county players, ie. overtime forgone, missing out on promotion, time away from family, having to train when all your mates are on the beer.......

[Rois]

How will they be able to set expenses against the grant??  Afaik, players are already reimbursed for expenses incurred for, well, for whatever, travel, kit.....  Basically, players do not want to go down the road of starting to show receipts for expenditure actually incurred, if that happened, and assuming that the reimbursements from county boards is in excess of the expenses incurred, well they may have more tax to pay.
What I'm essentially saying is that I cannot see what expenses they will be able to deduct from this grant, any expenses they incur by virtue of being a county footballer are currently reimbursed, thus these cannot be deducted, as they are no longer expenses.  This grant, as I understand it is to recompense players for the 'non-specific' costs of being a county players, ie. overtime forgone, missing out on promotion, time away from family, having to train when all your mates are on the beer.......

Exactly what I am thinking.  A few weeks ago I approached our PAYE expert at work to question where holiday vouchers would stand.  His reply is that it is in essence a taxable benefit but the Revenue appear to turn a blind eye at the minute.  However, now that public money is in question, there will have to be much more accountability.  That will open a can of worms in terms of other benefits that some players are being paid, as well as bringing other aspects of their careers/professions into the eye of the Revenue that they may previously have wished to discreetly hide.
Just another question that I don't understand - how are players in the north to be accommodated?  Surely the taxpayer in the south won't be stumping up for their grants?

[orangeman]

Bennydorano - respect for the GAA coming from the GPA - sure they threatened a strike in order to bully the GAA inot submission and they will do it again without doubt !

So please don't come out with this dribble about having no respect for the GAA - laughable !!

[Muzz]

Mark Conway stands down from Club Tyrone!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/7136644.stm

Hopefully there are more to follow!

[Bogball XV]

Surely the taxpayer in the south won't be stumping up for their grants?

Yep, that's one of the reasons why I don't think this scheme is a realistic long term proposition - as the economy sinks deeper into the mire, we can expect to hear plenty of calls for its abandonment (the gaa can well afford to pay its own players....., why should we pay nordies....).

[orangeman]

Mark Conway standing down from Club Tyrone is a very significant development in Tyrone.

[Rois]

Mark Conway stands down from Club Tyrone!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/7136644.stm

Hopefully there are more to follow!

Sadly received an email from him last night about this.  I don't think the magnitude of his loss to Club Tyrone can be underestimated - he was a major driving force.

Don't quite understand your comment on more following though Muzz?  

[rrhf]

I know of very generous doners to the GAA who are considering pulling out their funding / award / grant / donations to the GAA if this award proceeds.  Rightly or wrongly this action will be real and genuine and they see it as their contribution to sustaining volunteerism and is dependent on that principle being maintained.  It is their choice to give money to whatever they believe in.  Why do they do it?  These guys are worth a few grand a year  to the GAA and as it was put to me at the weekend,  "the moneys better in my pocket as in someone elses."  
I dont blame the GPA any more, I blame apathy by the majority of the association.  
Mark Conway in my opinion and to the majority of people who have ever met with him is worth a thousand Dessie Farrells,   as a Tyrone Gael; I see nothing but an exit flow of donors, and facilitators, a brain drain of the higher thinkers leaving the association.   I dont care for the county squads they can do what they want now, its open for them now to go with the flow. Fair play they won.  
As for the clubs I believe they will suffer greatly, but id appreciate if Dessie did change the name of his sports agency to the County players association.  That then we all know unambiguously what they stand for and who, and people who volunteer can still align themselves with clubs.  Theres no bitterness from anyone who lost the arguement Im sure, and I hope their wouldnt be, let the people at the top who made this abhorrent agreement run it from now on. I think those who will be less active or leaving the association are leaving out of principles and not GPA esque -  because of money.  Some will say today is a good day to leave the GAA, its certainly in line for an interesting future.          

[give her dixie]

Fair play to Mark for standing up to the 'Pay For Play' brigade.
This wont be the 1st high profile resignation for sure.

[Muzz]

Don't quite understand your comment on more following though Muzz?

Simply mean that I hope to see more people in postions like Mark was in to stand up and be counted.  Losing Mark is a huge loss not just to Tyrone but the the whole GAA.  Maybe with more influential people leaving their postions we can see the GAA taking another look at this.

[rrhf]

Is it any coincidence that some of the smartest strategic thinkers withion the GAA are against the opposition to pay for play. 
The one good thing about the GAA is we all volunteered to be part of it, so if we no longer like the organisations rules or are not prepared to stay in line with new policy we can always choose to walk away.  Come to think of it Dessie....

[Farrandeelin]

I wonder will anybody stop going to support their county teams now that the GPA have got their way?