Politician(s) lobbied: Patrick O'Donovan (Minister), Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Intent: Awareness on behalf of the Minister of the content of the GPA Strategy
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
Meeting between GPA representatives (Tom Parsons GPA CEO, Gemma Begley GPA Head of Player Relations and Tom Morrissey Limerick Hurler) with Minister Patrick O'Donovan at the Department of Sport on February 18th.
Politician(s) lobbied: Jim O'Callaghan (Minister), Department of Justice; Niall Collins (Minister of State), Department of Justice
Intent: Discuss the role and/or potential role of inter-county players in counter acting the impact of problem gambling
Methods: MeetingEmail
Details by Method
Meeting
13th November: GPA CEO Tom Parsons and Head of Equality and Player Relations met with Minister Jim O’Callaghan and Minister of State Niall Collins.
Email
13th October: Email from GPA CEO Tom Parsons to Minister Jim O’Callaghan re Gambling, the GRAI Strategy Launch and players social impact in this space. The email requested a meeting on the issue.
Politician(s) lobbied: Seán Kelly (MEP), European Parliament; Regina Doherty (MEP), European Parliament; Maria Walsh (MEP), European Parliament; Ciaran Mullooly (MEP), European Parliament; Thomas Byrne (Minister of State), Department of the Taoiseach; Michael Healy-Rae (Minister of State), Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Emer Higgins (Minister of State), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Naoise O'Cearúil (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Patrick O'Donovan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Theresa Newman (Special Adviser), Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; Cian Ó Lionáin (Assistant Secretary), Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; Feargal Ó Coigligh (Secretary General), Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Intent: To secure support for increase in government grants available to inter-county players in the forthcoming budget.
Methods: Virtual MeetingEmail
Details by Method
Virtual Meeting
On October 2nd our CEO Tom Parsons and our Head of Equality and Player Relations Gemma Belgey, along with Kildare inter-county players Daniel Flynn and Darragh Kirwan met with Naoise Ó Cearúil TD online to discuss the findings of the Indecon Report.
Virtual Meeting
On October 6th our CEO Tom Parsons, our Board Chair Professor Brian MacCraith and Head of Equality Gemma Begley, met with Minister for Sport Patrick O'Donovan, advisors and Department officials online to discuss the GPA campaign for increased funding for the inter-county player grants.
Virtual Meeting
On September 11th our CEO Tom Parsons, our Head of Equality and Player Relations Gemma Begley and inter-county players Mary Kate Lynch (Meath) and Seamus Lavin (Meath), met with Minister of State Thomas Byrne to discuss the findings of the Indecon Report.
Email
On September 19th, the GPA's pre-budget submission was emailed to Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae TD on behalf of our CEO Tom Parsons.
Virtual Meeting
On September 30th our CEO Tom Parsons and our Head of Equality and Player Relations Gemma Belgey, along with Dublin hurler Chris Crummy, met with Minister of State Emer Higgins TD online to discuss the findings of the Indecon Report.
Email
On September 4th an email was sent from our CEO Tom Parsons to Seán Kelly and Regina Doherty thanking them for issuing a public letter in support of the GPA campaign for increased funding for inter-county players through government grants.
Virtual Meeting
Online meeting with MEPs Seán Kelly, Regina Doherty, Maria Walsh and Ciaran Mullooly to outline the findings of the Indecon Report. This meeting took place on September 3rd. The GPA were represented by our CEO Tom Parsons and by our Head of Equality and Player Relations Gemma Begley.
Politician(s) lobbied: Jack Chambers (Minister of State), Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform; Patrick O'Donovan (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Theresa Newman (Special Adviser), Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; Ciaran Shanley (Head of Unit), Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; Seán Canney (Minister of State), Department of Transport; Alan Kelly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Padraig Hughes (Special Adviser), Department of Transport; Paul McAuliffe (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; John Lahart (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Cormac Devlin (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Regina Doherty (MEP), European Parliament; Seán Kelly (MEP), European Parliament; Ciaran Mullooly (MEP), European Parliament; Maria Walsh (MEP), European Parliament; Barry Andrews (MEP), European Parliament; Lynn Boylan (MEP), European Parliament; Nina Carberry (MEP), European Parliament; Barry Cowen (MEP), European Parliament; Luke Ming Flanagan (MEP), European Parliament; Kathleen Funchion (MEP), European Parliament; Billy Kelleher (MEP), European Parliament; Michael McNamara (MEP), European Parliament; Cynthia Ní Mhurchú (MEP), European Parliament; Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (MEP), European Parliament
Intent: To ensure there is a understanding of the financial burden faced by inter-county players at a time they are generating significant sums for the exchequer. This is part of a campaign to seek an increase in the government grant available to inter-county players as part of the upcoming budget.
Methods: EmailSubmissionMeeting
Details by Method
Email
August 27th: Email to Ireland's 14 MEPs inviting them to an online briefing on the Indecon Report.
Submission
July 10th: The GPA's Pre-Budget Submission was emailed to Jack Chambers TD by GPA CEO Tom Parsons.
Submission
July 10th: The GPA's Pre-Budget Submission was emailed to Patrick O'Donovan TD by GPA CEO Tom Parsons.
Meeting
July 17th: Meeting with Fianna Fáil representatives facilitates by Paul McAuliffe TD, Fianna Fáil (Chair of Oireachtas Housing Committee) at Leinster House. Other attendees included John Lahart TD and Cormac Devlin TD. Other individuals came in and out of the meeting over the course of the hours. Tom Parsons and Gemma Begley were joined at the meeting by Dublin players Brian Howard, Eve O’Brien, Eoin Murchan and Conor Burke. Brendan Walsh from Blueyard also attended.
Meeting
July 2nd: Meeting with Seán Canney TD and Padraig Hughes at Leinster House. This meeting was attended by Tom Parsons and Gemma Begley from the GPA. they were joined by Galway hurler Conor Whelan and Mandy Johnston from Blueyard.
Email
June 11th: Email to Patrick Leonard at the Department of Transport requesting a meeting with Sean Canney TD from GPA CEO Tom Parsons.
Email
June 27th: Email to Alan Kelly TD to request an opportunity to present the findings of the Indecon Report to the Oireachtas Committee on Sport. This email came from GPA CEO Tom Parsons.
Meeting
May 15th: Meeting with Minister Jack Chambers TD. Tom Parsons attended the meeting on behalf of the GPA at the Department of Finance
Meeting
May 20th: Meeting with Minister Patrick O'Donovan TD, Theresa Newman and Ciaran Shanley at the Department of Sport. Tom Parsons and Gemma Begley attended this meeting on behalf of the GPA and were joined by GPA National Executive Committee member Neil McManus.
Politician(s) lobbied: Mary Lou McDonald (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas
Intent: Inform the named person on the Indecon Report commissioned by the GPA into the financial impact of inter-county players and discuss further ways to support players.
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
Meeting with Mary Lou McDonald at Leinster House on April 30th, 2025 at Leinster House
Politician(s) lobbied: Michael Healy-Rae (Minister of State), Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Intent: Inform the named person on the Indecon Report commissioned by the GPA into the financial impact of inter-county players and discuss further ways to support players.
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
Meeting with Minister for State Michael Healy Rae and his official at Agriculture House on March 25th, 2025
Politician(s) lobbied: Charlie McConalogue (Minister of State), Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Intent: Inform the named person on the Indecon Report commissioned by the GPA into the financial impact of inter-county players and discuss further ways to support players.
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
Meeting with the Minister and officials in Leinster House on March 4rd, 2025.
Politician(s) lobbied: Micheál Martin (Taoiseach), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas
Intent: Inform the named person on the Indecon Report commissioned by the GPA into the financial impact of inter-county players and discuss further ways to support players.
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
Meeting with An Taoiseach and his official in his offices at the Department of the Taoiseach on March 3rd, 2025.
Politician(s) lobbied: Micheál Martin (Taoiseach), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Charlie McConalogue (Minister of State), Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; Michael Healy-Rae (Minister of State), Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Aidan Farrelly (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Mary Lou McDonald (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas; Joanna Byrne (TD), Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas
Intent: Educate the respective TDs of the contents of the Indecon Report and seek further support for inter-county players
Methods: Meeting
Details by Method
Meeting
March 3rd Meeting with An Taoiseach (and official)March 4th Meeting with Charlie McConalogue TD (and officials)March 25th Meeting with Aidan Farrelly TD (and official)March 25th Meeting with Michael Healy Rae TD (and official)April 30th Meeting with Mary Lou McDonald TD and Joanne Byrne TD (and official)
Politician(s) lobbied: Helen McEntee (Minister), Department of Education; James Lawless (Minister), Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Intent: Attendance of the Minister / Ministers at the event
Methods: Email
Details by Method
Email
Initial invites were senton February 18th
