Dublin's Carla Rowe has welcomed the Gaelic Players’ Association’s effort to accelerate the process of the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association uniting as one governing body.
The GPA, which formally merged with the WGPA last year, is pushing a motion for this month’s Congress calling for the GAA to “expedite integration with the LGFA and the Camogie Association”.
While there have been movements towards bringing the three bodies under the one umbrella in terms of pooling sponsorship, for example, the players’ body feels that it now needs to be stepped up.
GAA Congress takes place in Mayo on February 25/26 and the GPA motion asks that “the GAA prioritise integration with the LGFA and Camogie Association in order to jointly ensure equal investment, recognition and opportunity for all genders to play all sports in the Gaelic Games family”.
GPA chief executive and former Mayo footballer Tom Parsons commented: “The spirit of this motion is about action for gender equality in sport and bringing the Gaelic family together. It is about showing women and girls, whether they are involved in Gaelic games or not, that the biggest sporting and cultural organisation in Ireland values you every bit as much as it does your brothers, partners, nephews and husbands.”
Speaking at yesterday’s Lidl Ladies National Football League launch, Rowe said: “You see the GPA and WGPA have joined together and just from my personal experience this year, we got funding from the Government grant.
“I got support with going back to college, so it’s definitely been beneficial. I’m sure there are ins and outs to it which I don’t have details on, but yeah, look - anything that grows ladies football and gives it a bigger platform that allows us to have equal opportunities is always going to be beneficial.”
While the gap between the ladies and men’s codes has narrowed in various respects, Rowe feels there is still some way to go.
She added: “Ah yeah, there is no hiding the fact that with men players there is funding and resources which are made ready available a lot more than the ladies.
“But we are trying to close that gap, I know the LGFA are working as hard as they can to close that, and that takes time. It’s something that could be beneficial, but for now I don’t get too caught up in the politics of these things.
“I just like to go and play football and whatever happens in the background that benefits us, that’s brilliant.”
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