Gaa And the European union

[Pangurban]

Whilst browsing through the first part of the official guide the other night, the part dealing with administrative rules, it struck me that many of these rules may now be in breach of European Union laws and regulations. As an example, the requirement that all trophies,be of Irish manufacture, writing paper have Irish watermark etc. Anyone have any thoughts on this, or other examples

[Lecale2]

Wasn't the Guaranteed Irish mark deemed illegal? Same thing would apply to these rules I reckon.

I seem to remember some Unionist in Bllaymena objecting to a grant being awarded to Clooney Gaels for hurls because the rule stated they had to be of Irish manufacture.

Just found the link -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/3719296.stm

[irunthev]

I know this might sound like total pie in the sky at this point, but I think these European rules will come into play in a big way in the next decade. Players will start to explore them in order to make themselves available for a coutny other than that of their birth or residence and they will use the grant system as a tool in this argument, by saying that the GAA was restricting the freedom of movement of labour. The fact is that over the next ten years the sums made payable to players in grants will differ greatly from the top to the bottom. The grant system as it stands is only the first step, the big guys will start to value their talents a lot higher and you will see the payments increase considerably. I know it sounds daft, but you also know that there is always some wise guy lawyer somewhere who wants to make a name for himself and a relatively unknown player daft enough to listen to him. Jean Marc Bosman et al. The way things are going at the moment, my money would be on a  move out of Carlow for some player.

[johnneycool]

Wasn't the Guaranteed Irish mark deemed illegal? Same thing would apply to these rules I reckon.

I seem to remember some Unionist in Bllaymena objecting to a grant being awarded to Clooney Gaels for hurls because the rule stated they had to be of Irish manufacture.

Just found the link -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/3719296.stm

The vast majority of ash used is certainly sourced in Eastern Europe and if I can recall there is a certain manufacturer from Kilkenny who gets the hurls made out there too. Delaney I think it is.

[Zulu]

I know this might sound like total pie in the sky at this point, but I think these European rules will come into play in a big way in the next decade. Players will start to explore them in order to make themselves available for a coutny other than that of their birth or residence and they will use the grant system as a tool in this argument, by saying that the GAA was restricting the freedom of movement of labour.

Any player who wants to, can leave his club or county now, Thomas Walsh being the most recent case. And some players in the past could have done so for financial gain. Unless the money reaches significant levels, in which case the GAA will have to fund it and not the Govt., then there is little prospect of players 'transferring' to other counties. Though we should avoid turning this into another 'grant/gpa' thread.

[Guillem2]

Though we should avoid turning this into another 'grant/gpa' thread.

Agreed!

[Rossfan]

Whilst browsing through the first part of the official guide the other night, the part dealing with administrative rules, it struck me that many of these rules may now be in breach of European Union laws and regulations. As an example, the requirement that all trophies,be of Irish manufacture, writing paper have Irish watermark etc.

Surely as a private members organisation the GAA can have any internal rules it likes for its own voluntary members?

[Pangurban]

Possibly so Rosfan, though i would not be certain of this, thats why i raised the question, to seek clarification. A recent example would be Golf Clubs, some of whom had to amend their rules to bring them into line with current equality legislation

[Rossfan]

Was that not so as they could get bar licences?
Then again a lot of GAA clubs have bars so ........

[rosnarun]

this is the real danger pf professionalism and pay for play once your deemed to be an employee it would be very difficult to keep our rules as they are . mind you there a similar question to be asked of representative soccer ball.  but its a case no one at the monet wants to see taken

[David McKeown]

This is an issue I have long wondered about specifically in relation to the use of Irish produce.  From memory the guaranteed Irish case wouldn't be overally relevant here because of the level of involvement by the state in that regard.  Also from memory Bosman was an argument about restrictions of movement of workers between states which isn't ever going to be quite as relevant in the GAA as it is in football.  Have to say though my knowledge of EU law though isnt what it should be given my career choice.

[Deal_Me_In]

Wasn't the Guaranteed Irish mark deemed illegal? Same thing would apply to these rules I reckon.

I seem to remember some Unionist in Bllaymena objecting to a grant being awarded to Clooney Gaels for hurls because the rule stated they had to be of Irish manufacture.

Just found the link -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/3719296.stm

The vast majority of ash used is certainly sourced in Eastern Europe and if I can recall there is a certain manufacturer from Kilkenny who gets the hurls made out there too. Delaney I think it is.

Its actually Jack Carey (Brother of DJ) who has a factory set up in Bratislava.