GAA players are to benefit from a new deal that was announced on Monday between the organisation and the GPA.
Under the terms of the Framework Agreement between the two bodies, the GAA will provide the GPA €6.2million of funding between 2017 and 2019. The new deal replaces an agreement that had been in place since 2011.
Inter-country players will now be given an increased mileage rate. A 2.5c increase per mile, takes the rate to 65c. The fund has been capped at €1.5million (the equivalent of almost 2,308,000 miles).
A nutrition expense has also been introduced. The GPA will claim €1.2million for players to use the expenses in a new refundable and vouched format.
€200,000-per-year has also been introduced to help former inter-country players deal with surgical expenses that may come from playing at a high level.
An additional €800,000 will be given annually to the GPA to help with Player Services. This includes a wide-ranging variety of programmes including counselling services to education grants.
The GPA will also be given €2.5 million or 15% of net Central Commercial revenue (whichever is higher) in all three years for the day-to-day running of the Association.
GPA President Dermot Earley was delighted to receive the funds under the new agreement. The €6.2million is a big increase of the funds the GPA were given under the previous deal.
"By pledging to support the needs of county players and recognising the increasingly challenging environment in which they operate, the GAA has taken a very important step in securing their future well being."
"Another significant development within this framework, which will be welcomed widely by county players, is the establishment of two formal structures which will facilitate increased contribution from players into policy decisions of the GAA."
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