CPA put protest plans on hold after receiving assurances from GAA
September 27, 2017
Club Players Association executive member Aaron Kernan, Secretary Declan Brennan and Chairman Michael Briody
Following a meeting with GAA chiefs last Friday, the Club Players Association has shelved plans to protest at this weekend's Special Congress.
The Micheal Briody chaired organisation received a commitment from the powers-that-be that a National Masters Fixtures Plan will be produced by the end of October.
In addition, the players association will get the chance to present their own proposals to the CCCC.
In a statement, the CPA explained: "This weekend's Special Congress provided an ideal opportunity for the GAA to formally establish a National Fixtures Master Plan.
"Club Players have a reasonable right to ask that the ongoing Club Fixtures issues should be dealt with comprehensively and incorporated in Rule in the Official Guide.
"At 2017 Congress we witnessed the adoption of the Super 8s and now as an afterthought, hurling has been added to the agenda, requiring a Special Congress. This is an example of further disjointed management and incremental change in the GAA calendar.
"Having met with senior officials last Friday in Croke Park, we again expressed our serious concerns at this approach.
"1. They have committed to producing a National Master Fixtures Plan by the end of October 2017 for the 2018 season. They have given us a verbal assurance that the repeated CPA requests focusing on the needs of Club Players will be reflected in this Plan by delivering more exclusive club weekends and by adding certainty to the calendar.
"We look forward to this development and the publication of the National Master Fixtures Plan which we will judge on its merits when it is produced. We will give our feedback then on behalf of GAA Club Players.
"2. We have been offered the opportunity to meet with the CCCC and present further proposals to them based on our own analysis, research and planning. It is our intention to avail of this opportunity in the coming weeks to help improve the club situation by engaging fully with the CCCC as often as is necessary on behalf of GAA Club Players.
"We will be targeting Congress 2018 to be the Congress that will change the landscape for the club players and the CPA will be working with all of our members in the meantime to progress that change from the Grassroots GAA."
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