Representatives of the Gaelic Players' Association embarked on some last-minute lobbying in Dublin today ahead of a vote in the Dáil regarding tax breaks for "high-performance amateur sports people".
In 2002 the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, made provisions for Irish professional sports people to claim back 40 per cent of income paid over their highest 10-year period of career earnings in the Finance Bill. However, this did not include amateurs such as inter-county GAA players.
At the time Mr McCreevy called for some "lateral thinking" on the tax issue, prompting the GPA to take advice from Ernst & Young Tax Consultants and form a proposal of their own. With full support from the Irish Sports Council, (ISC) the GPA proposed a €2,000 tax credit for the 6,000 (approximate) "high performance" athletes in Ireland who are subject to ISC drug testing.
However, this was rejected at Government committee level and now goes to the vote after today's debate in the Dáil.
The Government's fear is that it would "open the floodgates" with amateur participants across all sports, even at the most basic level, potentially seeking the tax break, an argument strongly refuted by Dessie Farrell, GPA chief executive.
"That argument simply doesn't stand-up," Farrell told ireland.com at Buswell's Hotel today. "The notion that the floodgates will open is easily dispelled because the tax exception will only affect 'high-performance' athletes subject to drug testing by Irish Sports Council.
"This ring-fencing mechanism means the exchequer will know exactly how many athletes will be entitled to the credit each year," said Farrell, suggesting athletes such as Olympic rower Sam Lynch would also fall in to this category.
If the tax credit is granted, the GPA estimate the total cost to the exchequer would be €12 million compared to the €37 million in tax concessions granted to artists and musicians last year for their cultural contribution to society. The GPA therefore raised the question as to whether U2 lead singer Bono is more deserving than Kilkenny hurler DJ Carey, considering both act as role models and entertainers in their own right.
Farrell noted the high-level of support from individual Fianna Fáil TDs on this matter but remained cautious ahead of this afternoon's vote as there is still the probability of Fianna Fáil Ministers "toeing the party line" in support of McGreevy.