Mr. Tom Parsons:

I thank the Senator. When Mary McAleese asked us would we be able to share the resources that are available to intercounty players, our response was "Yes". Our response was that we already have. In 2019, we had GPA resources for player development and player welfare which amounted to about €1,200 per player. That included scholarships, educational support, career advice and medical and welfare advice with 24-hour counselling lines. When you add that up for intercounty players, it added up to €4.6 million to serve 2,100 players. We merged and integrated in 2023 and we now serve 4,000 players. In 2023 we had less revenue at €4.1 million compared with 2019, when we had €4.6 million. It works out now with female players for development programmes, that we have €889 per player. Not every player will avail of every service but we spend €1.7 million on educational services. For example we have over 900 student athletes who apply for scholarships. Before we integrated, the lads would have been receiving a scholarship payment of €1,500. Now all the applicants, men and women receive a scholarship payment of about €1,000 to €1,100 so we have already cut our cloth and integrated.

I am very proud to say that when the GPA and Ms Begley, who is beside me here, met initially, the Women's Gaelic Players Association had about €150,000 and we had 40 times that. We integrated and shared governance with a 50:50 board, a 50:50 national executive committee, and 50:50 representation of officers. We have spent more on female intercounty scholarships then we have for the men because the demographic of female players is about 50% students.

When we look at this, it is fantastic that the intercounty game can bring so much revenue back to grassroots and we are all club players and are all volunteers. I am a player and am still a volunteer. I still go and coach. It is really important to know that of the students playing the intercounty game and who are playing at high level - in Croke Park - 62% of them do not have time for part-time jobs. They are really financially struggling. It was important that we integrated and that we invested money in female players.

The Dillon Quirke Foundation was launched yesterday. Saoirse Lally of Mayo came on as an ambassador. Had we not integrated before the NGBs, she would not have been cardiac screened and would not have received funding to undergo a heart operation. This is a matter of life with some of the services that we provide for players.

We believed that intercounty players should be treated equally. I am delighted to hear that at club level, there is a strong sense of equality. The inequality has always been at a vast cost when you are pulling players at a county level. The big inequality has been at a county level. We have cut our cloth at the GPA and we are really looking forward to the governing bodies integrating by 2027. In the interim, we cannot wait until 2027 to address the minimum standards. The GAA has given a contribution in the interim to get a minimum standard for female players in terms of some out-of-pocket expenses and we need to build on that on the road to integration.