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Replying To Commodore:  "I could be wrong, I was just curious as to whether peoples employment terms actually transitioned from PAYE to Independent Contractor or did the PAYE halt first, as in the past it sounded like a lot of major names started out as PAYE employees with these broadcasters and seamlessly moved to becoming Independent Contractors at some point.

I don't have anything against them doing it, i was just wondering if that is applicable in other private sector jobs too."
We seem to be talking in general employment terms now rather than anything specific to GAA. But it can actually be in both a company's and an individual's interest for that company to hire them as a contractor rather than an employee.

If you want to pay an employee €1,000 per week, it actually costs you somewhere around €1,130 per week after employer PRSI and pension contributions are factored in. And an employee with standard credits who earns €1,000 per week gross would take home about €780 after PAYE, employee PRSI, and USC.

But take that person on as an independent contractor and you could even give them €1,050 a week and still save money. And if that person has a good accountant who takes full advantage of whatever write-offs are available, the person could come out with more than €780 a week. So, company paying out less, and the person taking home more - both would see it as a win.

It's a fairly common practice in areas such as IT as well as in the media.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3954 - 27/08/2026 22:58:21    2691621

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Replying To GAAFAN1234512345:  "Shane Rice Coaing is one of the best journalist in my opinions. He has coached great players in gaa such as Karl Gallagher, Sam Mulroy and many others. Hes also from the elite club of scostown so has a great insight to how they are so successful and is friends with key players such as Rory beggan so this gives him great insight to current set ups. Everything he writes for the Gaeliclife is always correct and many other journalists could learn off him. He does coach with Dublin clubs and PT so his knowledge is endless. Gentleman when meet him in person and is very popular on social media with young generation."
This is totally not true do your research before posting such a thing on this forum

monaghanmad4567 (Monaghan) - Posts: 37 - 28/08/2026 09:44:15    2691653

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "We seem to be talking in general employment terms now rather than anything specific to GAA. But it can actually be in both a company's and an individual's interest for that company to hire them as a contractor rather than an employee.

If you want to pay an employee €1,000 per week, it actually costs you somewhere around €1,130 per week after employer PRSI and pension contributions are factored in. And an employee with standard credits who earns €1,000 per week gross would take home about €780 after PAYE, employee PRSI, and USC.

But take that person on as an independent contractor and you could even give them €1,050 a week and still save money. And if that person has a good accountant who takes full advantage of whatever write-offs are available, the person could come out with more than €780 a week. So, company paying out less, and the person taking home more - both would see it as a win.

It's a fairly common practice in areas such as IT as well as in the media."
I understand certain corporations hire people as independent contractors to save money, however that is a different scenario to a PAYE employee who is employed by RTE or Virgin Media, all of a sudden going out and getting an agent and becoming an independent contractor in mutual agreement with the employer.

That isn't normal practice, in fact I believe RTE had to pay substantial tax bill to Revenue for PRSI in recent years over this (Read it last night), as they were misclassifying employees as contractors, when there is very clear distinctions that had not been met.

Also an agent usually commands significant Facilitation fees (Paid by the employer), and my understanding is that a PAYE employee becoming an independent contractor isn't to save both employer and employees a few quid, its to command significantly more income for said employee.

I don't understand how any employers would agree to a employee becoming a contractor for significantly more cash, especially if the state owned employer is struggling for cash and needs more taxpayers money to bail them out, sounds dodgy. However I am curious if it could be applied to private sector corporations who don't offer contract work right now.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1947 - 28/08/2026 12:51:36    2691685

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "We seem to be talking in general employment terms now rather than anything specific to GAA. But it can actually be in both a company's and an individual's interest for that company to hire them as a contractor rather than an employee.

If you want to pay an employee €1,000 per week, it actually costs you somewhere around €1,130 per week after employer PRSI and pension contributions are factored in. And an employee with standard credits who earns €1,000 per week gross would take home about €780 after PAYE, employee PRSI, and USC.

But take that person on as an independent contractor and you could even give them €1,050 a week and still save money. And if that person has a good accountant who takes full advantage of whatever write-offs are available, the person could come out with more than €780 a week. So, company paying out less, and the person taking home more - both would see it as a win.

It's a fairly common practice in areas such as IT as well as in the media."
To clarify you other point about GAA specific, It was a GAA presenter who I noticed now listed as a contractor on the agents site, which if I recall correctly from the Oireachtas affair a couple of years back, that presenter wasn't listed as a contractor then. Nothing personal about that presenter, fair play to them in whatever they do.
I was just curious if such a seamless transition from PAYE to Contractor is actually allowed.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1947 - 28/08/2026 12:56:39    2691687

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Replying To Commodore:  "To clarify you other point about GAA specific, It was a GAA presenter who I noticed now listed as a contractor on the agents site, which if I recall correctly from the Oireachtas affair a couple of years back, that presenter wasn't listed as a contractor then. Nothing personal about that presenter, fair play to them in whatever they do.
I was just curious if such a seamless transition from PAYE to Contractor is actually allowed."
Yeah, I don't remember all the ins and outs of it offhand, but part of the RTE payments controversy of a couple of years ago was how certain people were listed as contractors and had all the benefits of that, but also had all the benefits of being an employee too.

But on your main question - there's nothing to stop that sort of thing from happening. You could employ me directly for a number of years as let's say a plumber. Then one day, I announce I'm leaving your employment, to become self-employed instead. You say that's grand, but I'd still have 40 hours a week for you if you want it. I in turn say that's grand, let's do that.

All that really changes is the means by which I'm paid and how my tax affairs are now up to me to handle, rather than you as my employer. Also how I'd lose my holiday entitlements and pension contributions from an employer. But nothing to actually prevent it from happening.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3954 - 28/08/2026 16:50:42    2691729

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Replying To Kew:  "I saw it once they had the soccer guy who calls it gah and soccer in croke park football doing it and the journal.ie editor I forgot her name but neither are GAA people more so soccer and rugby and anytime it came up it was the same two so I didn't bother with it. It kinda proves my point"
What point?

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8744 - 28/08/2026 17:21:56    2691735

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Yeah, I don't remember all the ins and outs of it offhand, but part of the RTE payments controversy of a couple of years ago was how certain people were listed as contractors and had all the benefits of that, but also had all the benefits of being an employee too.

But on your main question - there's nothing to stop that sort of thing from happening. You could employ me directly for a number of years as let's say a plumber. Then one day, I announce I'm leaving your employment, to become self-employed instead. You say that's grand, but I'd still have 40 hours a week for you if you want it. I in turn say that's grand, let's do that.

All that really changes is the means by which I'm paid and how my tax affairs are now up to me to handle, rather than you as my employer. Also how I'd lose my holiday entitlements and pension contributions from an employer. But nothing to actually prevent it from happening."
I think Revenue will have questions to ask if this is the case.

tireoghainabu (Tyrone) - Posts: 502 - 28/08/2026 20:48:04    2691750

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Yeah, I don't remember all the ins and outs of it offhand, but part of the RTE payments controversy of a couple of years ago was how certain people were listed as contractors and had all the benefits of that, but also had all the benefits of being an employee too.

But on your main question - there's nothing to stop that sort of thing from happening. You could employ me directly for a number of years as let's say a plumber. Then one day, I announce I'm leaving your employment, to become self-employed instead. You say that's grand, but I'd still have 40 hours a week for you if you want it. I in turn say that's grand, let's do that.

All that really changes is the means by which I'm paid and how my tax affairs are now up to me to handle, rather than you as my employer. Also how I'd lose my holiday entitlements and pension contributions from an employer. But nothing to actually prevent it from happening."
When you go self employed you have to charge way more to make it worth your while.
In your example if you wanted the lad to do the 40 hours a week you still had for him, you would have to pay him alot more than you were paying him.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20609 - 29/08/2026 08:40:42    2691773

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Why are we so wedded to the county system - a British system?': Pat Gilroy on the GAA's future

Good piece here. We can be professional just need a different model

Kew (Galway) - Posts: 414 - 29/08/2026 13:08:30    2691806

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Replying To Viking66:  "When you go self employed you have to charge way more to make it worth your while.
In your example if you wanted the lad to do the 40 hours a week you still had for him, you would have to pay him alot more than you were paying him."
100% otherwise it's not worth your while going self employed if you go back to the same employer contracted to do the same job. Depends on the employer too and what incentives they offer you. Could be a pension plan, health insurance, bonuses etc. You might have more job security as an employee whereas an employer could lay off a contractor easier, depending on terms of the employment contract. Each case is different.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8744 - 29/08/2026 13:24:10    2691808

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Replying To GreenandRed:  "100% otherwise it's not worth your while going self employed if you go back to the same employer contracted to do the same job. Depends on the employer too and what incentives they offer you. Could be a pension plan, health insurance, bonuses etc. You might have more job security as an employee whereas an employer could lay off a contractor easier, depending on terms of the employment contract. Each case is different."
All true from both yourself and Viking, and the example of going back to your previous employer to continue to do 40 hours a week for them is not a great example, but the key point in answering the other person's question is that there's nothing to actually prevent it from happening if both sides agree to the new arrangement.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3954 - 29/08/2026 16:01:05    2691827

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Replying To Kew:  "Why are we so wedded to the county system - a British system?': Pat Gilroy on the GAA's future

Good piece here. We can be professional just need a different model"
They're a long time engrained now. People associate themselves with their counties. Very hard to change that now.
They're not solely a British creation, by the way. Many of the areas which are now counties, we're already túatha prior to pre-Norman rule. Calling them counties came from the Normans, but many were already defined territories.
I don't want us to be professional. I think we'd lose a huge amount of what the GAA has.

WanPintWin (Galway) - Posts: 3030 - 29/08/2026 16:16:28    2691832

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "All true from both yourself and Viking, and the example of going back to your previous employer to continue to do 40 hours a week for them is not a great example, but the key point in answering the other person's question is that there's nothing to actually prevent it from happening if both sides agree to the new arrangement."
There are a few people I know who did just that. The company they were working for were happy to pay more as they were no longer responsible for holiday pay, pensions, redundancy money etc etc.
They just paid for the work that was done. It probably also reduced their admin staff costs and accountants costs.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20609 - 29/08/2026 17:58:17    2691853

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Replying To Kew:  "Why are we so wedded to the county system - a British system?': Pat Gilroy on the GAA's future

Good piece here. We can be professional just need a different model"
Pat Gilroy was arguing against professionalism. I think the point he was making when it comes to the counties was some, especially Dublin, are just growing immensely with populations and once they sort out their current issues, they will inevitably dominate again.

FullOfPorter (Roscommon) - Posts: 584 - 30/08/2026 14:04:19    2691943

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "Yeah, I don't remember all the ins and outs of it offhand, but part of the RTE payments controversy of a couple of years ago was how certain people were listed as contractors and had all the benefits of that, but also had all the benefits of being an employee too.

But on your main question - there's nothing to stop that sort of thing from happening. You could employ me directly for a number of years as let's say a plumber. Then one day, I announce I'm leaving your employment, to become self-employed instead. You say that's grand, but I'd still have 40 hours a week for you if you want it. I in turn say that's grand, let's do that.

All that really changes is the means by which I'm paid and how my tax affairs are now up to me to handle, rather than you as my employer. Also how I'd lose my holiday entitlements and pension contributions from an employer. But nothing to actually prevent it from happening."
Do you really think an RTE presenter who stops being a PAYE employee and immediately and seamlessly becomes a contractor represented by an agent will be costing RTE the same gross amount per year? I don't think so, not even close.

I suspect presenters are moving to Contractor status so they can earn significantly more gross earnings and also manipulate tax owed through clever accounting, which I can't fault them for. I suspect it would be for significant increases. However, I don't know why the likes of RTE would pay so much extra for them, considering the current deficit.

It was revealed in the Oireachtas hearings with Tubridy, that RTE had to pay Tubridy's agent Facilitation fees for certain negotiations, which I assume Virgin Media has to do also. I wondered why the employer would be paying an agent of a former employee who is now seeking contract employment.

Commodore (Donegal) - Posts: 1947 - 31/08/2026 13:09:21    2692123

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Replying To Commodore:  "Do you really think an RTE presenter who stops being a PAYE employee and immediately and seamlessly becomes a contractor represented by an agent will be costing RTE the same gross amount per year? I don't think so, not even close.

I suspect presenters are moving to Contractor status so they can earn significantly more gross earnings and also manipulate tax owed through clever accounting, which I can't fault them for. I suspect it would be for significant increases. However, I don't know why the likes of RTE would pay so much extra for them, considering the current deficit.

It was revealed in the Oireachtas hearings with Tubridy, that RTE had to pay Tubridy's agent Facilitation fees for certain negotiations, which I assume Virgin Media has to do also. I wondered why the employer would be paying an agent of a former employee who is now seeking contract employment."
I don't propose to go into all the ins and outs of the RTE payments scandal. I was just answering your fundamental question, that there's nothing to actually stop an employee from leaving that employment and becoming a self-employed contractor instead, even if they still solely do work for the same organisation, if both sides agree to that new arrangement.

Nor do I propose to get into speculation as to why one side would agree to that, if it was likely to cost them more or otherwise be less beneficial for them. Again, was just answering the question that there's nothing to prevent if from happening.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3954 - 31/08/2026 14:11:14    2692136

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