GAA-GPA Recognition Protocol

Details of the official five-year agreement between the GAA and the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) were announced at Croke Park on Monday.

The Recognition Protocol, formally unveiled by Uachtarán Chumann Luthchleas Gael Criostóir Ó Cuana and GPA Chief Executive Dessie Farrell, establishes a clearly defined platform for future relations between the two organistations.

The agreement between the parties is based on seven key principles and suggests the establishment of a mechanism to deal with player/county disputes.

One of the primary purposes of the Protocol is to put in place processes and procedures aimed at minimising the detrimental effect of disputes when they arise and to strive to eradicate them entirely.

The provision of funding to the GPA is also clearly outlined, and will come from monies directly provided from GAA central funds and in part through income derived from agreed commercial activity.

Details of a base funding structure for the next five years are outlined, with the GPA guaranteed a minimum amount each year for the duration of the agreement.

The funding, which can be increased or decreased based on fluctuations in the GAA’s annual income, has been set at €1.5m in 2011 and increases to €2m by 2015.

The funding will be used for the development, management and delivery of player welfare programmes and general support activities.

The tangible benefits of these programmes are already in evidence, with more than 600 players engaging in player welfare courses – the demand for which has escalated due to the grim economic circumstances - in 2010 alone.

The outlined base funding shall be supplemented by income generated via commercial activity, and a commitment has been given to establish a joint commercial body which has the potential to streamline awards schemes and banquets. Revenue generated by the new joint commercial initiative will be shared on a 50/50 basis by the two organistations.

The agreement recognises that the GPA has a number of existing commercial agreements, which will be phased out in the coming years.

Uachtarán Chumann Luthchleas Gael Criostóir Ó Cuana welcomed the finalisation of the Recognition Protocol and thanked the GPA for the part it played in realising the agreement.

“The whole process on all sides was done in a very meaningful way. It would be fair to say that while we had challenges before us and throughout the process, that it was done as part of a real and lasting partnership,” the Uachtarán said.

“We developed trust and synergy through that process and I would like to compliment Dessie (Farrell) and his team, and also the team in Croke Park, on the work they undertook because it demanded a lot of time, effort and commitment.”

Farrell said he was confident that players would be happy with the details of the agreement.

“I think we have come up with an agreement that our players will be very happy with it and it will stand the Association very, very well over the next number of years,” Farrell added.

The agreement is subject to final ratification at the next Ard Comhairle meeting on Saturday, February 12.