Ballinderry Shamrocks in favour of players grants

Minder · March 14, 2008, 09:44:34 AM

Can anyone post the article? I dont know if this is worthy of a thread on its own but Mods can feel free to move it.

ziggysego · March 16, 2008, 03:30:09 PM

One of the leading GAA clubs in Ulster has voted in favour of the players' grants scheme. Ballinderry, the All-Ireland football champions in 2002, have backed the proposed awards initiative that will provide annual payments to players ranging from E1,400 to E2,600.

Having established themselves as the main force in Derry football, the Loughshore club has a major

presence in the Oak Leaf county squad. Kevin McGuckin, Enda Muldoon, James Conway, Colin Devlin, Niall McCusker, Michael McIver, Conleith Gilligan and Raymond Wilkinson are currently in Paddy Crozier's panel.

The club's chairman Camillus Quinn said yesterday: "We support the principle of our eight county players being recognised in the form of an award by the Irish government."

At a recent monthly meeting, the club's committee discussed the grants issue and agreed unanimously that the proposed scheme didn't breach the rules which protect the GAA's amateur status.

Ballinderry's stance on this issue contradicts the view of the Derry County Board, whose delegates will vote against the grants scheme at next month's Annual Congress.

A motion from the Faughanvale club in north Derry that opposes the grants was passed at the Derry county convention.

However, Quinn noted that when his club's committee debated the issue there was, "100 per cent agreement that the grants scheme didn't broach the amateur status and that it wasn't breaking Rule 11".

Quinn added: "It's not GAA money. It's not coming out of Croke Park. It's coming from the Irish government."

The Ballinderry club consulted with their county players before the meeting and Quinn stated that all eight of them confirmed that they had never considered any form of strike in relation to the grants controversy.

The Ballinderry players have also indicated that they are willing to give a portion of any grant they might receive to their club.

Welcoming the players' gesture, Quinn said: "We are very proud of the large representation of our club on the Derry senior football squad and we accept their generous offer to contribute a proportion of any award to our adult players' fund."

The 'Of One Belief' group, which argues that the grants scheme breaches the GAA's amateur status, takes its case to the DRA tonight. It's understood that the hearing is set to continue tomorrow.

Quinn insisted that the committee members of Ballinderry Shamrocks GAC "respected" the views of the anti-grants group, but that

ultimately they had placed their trust in the GAA's officialdom.

He said: "We have faith in the leadership of the GAA at the highest levels and are confident that the players' awards scheme will not infringe Rule 11 or damage the unique amateur status of our Association in any way."

Sourced The Irish News Online: http://www.irishnews.com/articles/597/5776/2008/3/14/582639_339468203322Ballinderr.html

glenullinabu · March 16, 2008, 05:09:39 PM

how did derry decide on how the county was goin to vote on grants?
thought the back page spread in irish news a bit tacky

gaagaa · March 16, 2008, 10:14:09 PM

brollys next article should be worth reading
will he have the balls to criticise the shamrocks

orangeman · March 16, 2008, 10:22:19 PM

will he have the balls to criticise the shamrocks

Of course he - he's afraid of nothing !

dublinfella · March 17, 2008, 02:55:49 PM

Quote from: ziggysego on March 16, 2008, 03:30:09 PM

Quinn added: "It's not GAA money. It's not coming out of Croke Park. It's coming from the Irish government."

Well thats ok then.....

Drumanee 1 · March 17, 2008, 03:31:33 PM

i like the wee star on there crest

AZOffaly · March 18, 2008, 10:58:46 AM

Can't find the other thread, but I read the decision from the Central Council yesterday and I can't really believe it. In order to try and kill the Rule 11 debate, they have deemed that these grants will be paid in the form of 'expenses'.

This is what is written in the Star (I know I know, but every paper is as bad as each other at this stage)

'It was decided that the grants, or awards, would be given as expenses, which means the GAA's rule 11, which governs amateur status, will not be breached. Under the agreement the money will be paid out to cover the the difference in the GAA's travelling expenses, which are 50 cent a mile, and the Civil Service's, which is over €1. Players will have to account for these expenses which will be worth between €1,500 and €2,500 a year depending on how far their team goes in the Championship'

I don't know where to start.. I mean this seems to put these grants even more centre stage in terms of the GAA's internal workings, instead of quite clearly differentiating between the money from GAA sources (hitherto expenses) and the new Grants.

Secondly, how will students and the like be able to 'account' for these expenses if they don't own a car. Does the notion of 'mileage' expenses not imply some sort of cost on the person and their car? What about someone living at home?

thirdly, why the Civil Service rate? It seems like they just looked around until they found a rate that 'fitted' and plugged it in there.

This seems to be an amazing decision, made in the face of the OOB opposition. I just don't know what they are thinking.

cornafean · March 18, 2008, 11:29:25 AM

I wonder what the Revenue Commissioners and HM Inland Revenue in the North will make of this? I can't help thinking that another Pandora's box has been opened...

Hardy · March 18, 2008, 11:30:01 AM

This President's administration is getting more farcical than George W. Bush's, as it lurches from one bizarre decision to another even more bizarre. Bush - waterboarding is not torture; GAA administration - grants are not now grants, they're "expenses". For both maladministrating circuses, it seems to be a case of anything to avoid putting the administration's mismanagement under scrutiny by the electorate.

Tyrone Dreamer · March 18, 2008, 11:37:54 AM

At a time when we're losing many players to other sports is it really such a bad thing if we reward our best players who stay with a couple of thousand euro a year. Its a nice we perk for the players who train hard all year and are faced with the pressure of being scrutinised every time they go on the field by thousands of supporters. Lets face it in the current climate a couple of thousand euro is hardly going to turn any player into a professional - it wouldnt even pay for a night out once a week. As long as its upfront and transparent and all county players are treated the same then I dont think its as big an issue as is being made out.

bennydorano · March 18, 2008, 12:00:49 PM

Other arguments aside, I have been suprised at Brennan's Presidency, it has been brutal. Then again many on here thought Kelly was the worst President ever.

cornafean · March 18, 2008, 12:08:27 PM

Quote from: Tyrone Dreamer on March 18, 2008, 11:37:54 AM
Lets face it in the current climate a couple of thousand euro is hardly going to turn any player into a professional

Existing EU legal precedents in relation to sports grant payments to athletes suggest otherwise...

Quote- it wouldnt even pay for a night out once a week.

... regardless of how small the payments are

QuoteAs long as its upfront and transparent

there's nothing upfront and transparent about what seems to be concerted fiddling of Revenue-approved expenses allowances

Quoteand all county players are treated the same

The existing GAA/GPA proposals don't treat all county players the same.

Quotethen I dont think its as big an issue as is being made out.

There's a lot of if's and but's before you get to that conclusion.

Hound · March 18, 2008, 12:10:26 PM

Quote from: AZOffaly on March 18, 2008, 10:58:46 AM

I don't know where to start.. I mean this seems to put these grants even more centre stage in terms of the GAA's internal workings, instead of quite clearly differentiating between the money from GAA sources (hitherto expenses) and the new Grants.

Secondly, how will students and the like be able to 'account' for these expenses if they don't own a car. Does the notion of 'mileage' expenses not imply some sort of cost on the person and their car? What about someone living at home?

thirdly, why the Civil Service rate? It seems like they just looked around until they found a rate that 'fitted' and plugged it in there.

This seems to be an amazing decision, made in the face of the OOB opposition. I just don't know what they are thinking.

Agree with the first two points, but for the third one - the Civil Service rates are the rates most commonly used in the private sector (as well as the public sector obviously). Anything paid in excess of the civil service rates would be subject to tax, anything below the civil service rates would generally be considered a bit miserable...

feetofflames · March 18, 2008, 12:11:51 PM

Whatever Kelly stood for and I thought of him as poor, he still stood for something. Brennan stands for little, he appears to be the man who history will judge unkindly because he seems now fixated with ramming through these grants. Mark my words there will be a split in the association if these grants come into play. It will become a choice between club or county for the player and supporter, the business will be done in different ways, support bases will change, If thats the type of GAA ye want then thats fine, it will no longer be unique.
as for Balinderry Shamerocks They never knew whether they were Derry or Tyrone men either, would it be wrong to say they lack the principled positioning of most clubs on these matters?