McLaughlin: 'They shouldn’t have to worry about choosing between fuel or dinner'

Donegal captain Niamh McLaughlin said her panel is supporting the current ongoing protests in a show of solidarity with other counties in their attempt to get minimum standards.

McLaughlin skipped Maxi Curran’s side to a fantastic 1-10 to 0-12 victory over Meath in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship at Páirc Tailteann on Saturday, with a home quarter-final against Dublin now confirmed for Sunday week.

Beforehand in Navan, both sides - like others around the country - protested due to the failure of the GAA, LGFA and the Camogie Association to implement a ‘player charter’. Meath and Donegal both wore white t-shirts with the hashtag #United for Equality during the warm-up before standing together in a line for the national anthem. The game was also delayed by five minutes as both returned to the dressing room before reappearing.

McLaughlin and Curran both stated afterward that Donegal are well looked after on a local level and they would like to see basic necessities implemented across the board. No mileage is currently paid to any LGFA players on a national basis, to attend training or matches.

“We’re just trying to get minimum standards for every team across the country,” McLaughlin said in Navan. “We are very well looked after in Donegal and we’re very grateful for that. We just want equality and we want parity for the counties that don’t have that.

“Really, it’s about player welfare at the end of the day. We want to make sure girls can play safely, get to training and have the essentials they need. They shouldn’t have to worry about forking out for physio or, if you’re a student, choosing between fuel or your dinner for the week. Because that’s the reality for many.

“We just want every girl to have the best possible chance of giving their best at county level for as long as possible”.

McLaughlin’s feelings were echoed by manager Curran, who gave his unequivocal backing to the protests, which have been taking place throughout the round-robin stages of the championship.

“We’re completely behind the players and what they’re striving to achieve,” he said. “That group is exceptionally well looked after - that was a non-negotiable at the start - and I’ll stand up anywhere and say they get everything the men get, bar the per mile expenses.

“That's a six-figure sum and one that’s close to a quarter of a million in some counties. We can’t do that but they are well looked after in every other sphere. We might be in a unique situation in regards to that but we appreciate that not all other counties are.

“There’s a lot of work to be done to get the levelled out. There’s a basic player welfare issue in regards to access to physios and doctors. Access to playing pitches is an issue. We have a brilliant main sponsor in Donagh Kelly with Circet KN and Donal Barrett, MCR, our secondary sponsor and people like Liam Clancy at the Abbey Hotel, Eddie Tobin in Letterkenny, Austin Daly from Lifford and Declan Boyle from McCafferty’s - these people have been brilliant to us.

“I can’t speak highly enough of the businesses in Donegal. The Donegal GAA County Board, there have been issues but they have made Convoy available to us at every turnabout and we have to thank them for that. We want to help our brothers and sisters around the country.”

Last month, McLaughlin was the Donegal representative as senior ladies football and camogie players met in Dublin, where they indicated they would escalate their protest at an impasse regarding welfare and support issues with their governing bodies.

At a press briefing organised by the Gaelic Players Association (GPA), captains and representatives of 24 football and camogie teams released a joint statement confirming they will be playing the remainder of the championship under protest, because of their dissatisfaction over the lack of progress made about agreeing on a players’ charter with their governing bodies for next season. The aim is for the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association to enter discussions.

“We are no longer willing to wait,” they said. “It has been over 18 months since integration was declared a priority and voted in by the membership of the three Associations. While the National Governing Bodies claim to be listening, it is evident that they are not truly hearing us. Urgent issues affecting player welfare have been brought to their attention, yet they refuse to even engage collectively to discuss solutions.

“We as players are not receiving the respect we deserve. Therefore, do not expect business as usual in the upcoming weeks and months. We stand here together, unified. And together, we will remain resolute in our pursuit of a better future.”

In a statement issued by the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) this week, the GAA’s male intercounty hurling and football captains called on the GAA to assist camogie and ladies football players meet minimum standards of welfare.

"We, the 68 captains of the male senior-inter county teams, want to express our full support for our female colleagues and stand beside them #Unitedforequality,” they said. "As such, we are asking you to work with the Camogie Association, the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, and the Gaelic Players Association to discuss the steps necessary towards providing the minimum standards of welfare and care for female players for 2024.

"We do not accept that this is a matter solely for the two female governing bodies which is the response you have given to date. Among the GAA' values is Community identity. Community is at the heart of our association. We know from our own communities that if our neighbour is struggling or requires help, the local GAA club steps forward to provide it.

"We know our female inter-county colleagues in the Gaelic-Games community are in need of support. They need help to provide basics such as medical support, nutritional support, access to facilities and financial support to offset travel expenses.

"Are you going to live that value of community, or will you allow this opportunity for positive change to pass us by? In the GAA we know and love, there would only be one answer to that question."