KILDARE: Senator calls for explanation from camogie county board over withdrawing team from championship

Chair of the Parliamentary Women's Caucus and local Fianna Fail Senator Fiona O’Loughlin has said that she was disappointed that the Kildare camogie panel have been withdrawn from the championship by the county board. 

In a statement released by the Gaelic Players Association, the squad shared details of their dispute with the county board regarding failure to fulfill an agreed charter, which included access to showers and changing rooms after training, as well as disagreement over the decision to not allow Kildare senior inter-county players to play for their respective clubs sides, even at the discretion of their manager.

The decision to withdraw from the championship was relayed to the squad last Friday over Whatsapp.

Senator O'Loughlin said: “I was really disappointed when I saw the open letter from the Kildare camogie panel. I know only too well the dedication and the commitment these girls have put in to reach the highest levels of sport in our county and they deserve the respect and admiration that goes with that.”

“It is clear from their statement that there have been ongoing issues, but I would like to think that the issues could be resolved and that both parties could iron out their differences. In any case, the panel deserve the respect of a formal notification and explanation and not a Whatsapp message. That level of respect is unacceptable in my view.”

 “I have written to the County board and requested that they provide an explanation for the withdrawal of the camogie players from the All Ireland camogie championship.”

 Senator O’Loughlin concluded: “As Chair of the Parliamentary Women's Caucus, I am eager to see equity between male and female sports in this country. In recent times we have seen improvements in the area of sports funding, with Minister Jack Chambers announcing when he was Minister for Sport that women's football would receive equal funding to men's football, and that is only right and proper. Situations like we are seeing today in Kildare Camogie are bad for women's sport and send the completely wrong message to you girls out there.”