Football

GAA agree to cover travel costs of fifth collective session per week

GPA CEO Tom Parsons, in the company of GPA national executive committee member and Tyrone footballer Niall Morgan. An interim agreement over player mileage was brokered last night
GPA CEO Tom Parsons, in the company of GPA national executive committee member and Tyrone footballer Niall Morgan. An interim agreement over player mileage was brokered last night GPA CEO Tom Parsons, in the company of GPA national executive committee member and Tyrone footballer Niall Morgan. An interim agreement over player mileage was brokered last night

AN interim deal between the GAA and GPA over player expenses was finally brokered for the remainder of 2022 last night, subject to the approval of the GAA’s Ard Chomhairle and the player body’s National Executive Committee.

It is understood agreement has been reached to enable extended county panels (beyond 32) to train a fifth collective session per week, if a squad chooses to do so, and as such players' travel costs will be covered.

Over the past few months, the GAA refused to move on four collective sessions per week, but that stance has now shifted during the latest round of negotiations and should end entirely any media bans that were initiated by the GPA during the stand-off.

The fifth session will be covered by county boards, even though player mileage is effectively funded centrally by the Association.

All students who claimed to be out of pocket in 2021 will also be back paid as part of the agreement reached between the parties.

All GPA members were notified of the agreement yesterday which undoubtedly will be warmly welcomed. The GPA and GAA will go back to the negotiating table later in the year to agree on a Players’ Charter for 2023.

In a joint statement last night, the GAA and GPA said: “All previously outstanding issues relating to travel expenses have been resolved.

“The GAA and GPA are committed to working together in a positive way in an effort to avoid similar issues arising in the future.”