And So It Goes On …

There’s no doubt corporate Ireland became an increasingly bizarre place on foot of the depredations of the Tiger economy. But the saga of just how and why the GAA continues to deal in secret with what appears to be a private limited company called the Gaelic Players Management Company Ltd still takes some beating.

Try these on for size: 

• The GPA has long since been gifted a seat on Central Council, the most important decision-making part of the GAA after Congress
• The only legal manifestation we can find of this “GPA” is the Gaelic Players Management Company Ltd
• This is a private company whose shares are now owned by Brian Corcoran; DJ Carey; and Liam Hassett
• Over the last year it lost €143,843 and now has net assets of just €15,851
• Dessie Farrell is a director of this company
• As a director he is legally obliged to act only in the best interests of his shareholders. 

So, when Dessie Farrell sits at our Central Council, having the same status there as any GAA County in Ireland, just who and what is he representing? As a director of the company, it has to be his shareholders. Why do we continue to allow a privately-owned company to have access to and an influence on GAA business that ordinary GAA members don’t have? We all now know how corporate governance went up the left in Ireland over the past couple of years. But even in that chaotic context this arrangement takes the biscuit.

And that’s not all. Meanwhile: 

• The GPA has recently announced its membership of the EU Athletes Association … whose website describes itself as the European Elite Athletes Association, representing over 25,000 professional athletes (our emphases)
• Irish professional rugby players also belong to that same Association and its website is littered with examples of Collective Bargaining Agreements
• The GPA’s own website spells out 22 benefits of GAA recognition … 17 of which are a shameful litany to do with business; grants; careers; and so on … real core areas of GAA activity that really turn us volunteers on!

But, we’re told, it’s OK to discuss “GAA recognition” with an outfit of this ilk. Of course the people who tell us that are the same ones who argue that by taking/approving the taking of pay-for-play money they safeguard GAA amateurism! Is the next pig-in-a-poke they’re going to try to sell to GAA members got anything to do with bailing out unsustainable private companies? Or the need for the GAA to put in place Collective Bargaining Agreements with our elite players?

Finally, in case people are interested … the Minister of Sport when all this pathetic grants pay-for-play nonsense started … was … the one and only … John O’Donoghue. But, sure it was all done within the guidelines.