Inter-county players will be able to claim close to €5,000 per year under an increased mileage rate agreed in the new players’ charter.
With fuel costs having spiralled, the mileage rate has been increased by 5c to 70c, up to a maximum of 7,000 miles before dropping to 40c.
Interestingly, there is the introduction of a ‘green rate’ of €1 per mile where two or more players travel together. This applies for 6,000 miles, after which a 60c rate applies.
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There is no increase to the rate for players in the Six Counties which remains at 45p, though those in that jurisdiction will see their nutrition allowance increase from £28 to £37 per week instead.
The GAA and Gaelic Players’ Association had been at loggerheads over the charter at stages over the past 12 months, with the number of gatherings per week a particularly thorny issue, though it has now been agreed that there will be a maximum of four collective training sessions per week over the course of the season, one more than the GAA had allowed for earlier this year, much to the GPA’s angst at the time.
There will also be no cap on the number of players who are entitled to claim full expenses, something that the GAA had also tried to rein in.
In an email to the inter-county playing body, GPA chief executive Tom Parsons said the contact hours policy was “based on sports science and is being implemented to protect player welfare while maintaining high-performance”.
Parsons added: “It is important to recognise the contribution of Neil NcManus from the GPA NEC and Seán Murphy from the GPA Board, for their time and efforts on behalf of players during the negotiations, as well as the GPA staff.
“I also want to acknowledge and thank the GAA’s negotiation team. This is a joint agreement and could not have been reached were it not for the positive approach brought to discussions by both sides.”
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