Congress 2019: The key motions

John Fogarty on the biggest motions to go under the microscope at the GAA's annual congress.

Motion 11 — The Newbridge or Nowhere motion. Home venues for all senior inter-county championship games will be decided on the basis of meeting health and safety criteria and being approved by the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC).

Motion 14 — The Armagh/Laois/Waterford motion. Any collective senior inter-county training that involves an overnight stay from April 1 to November beyond 10 days from a game (or 17 from an All-Ireland final) is not permitted unless written permission is provided by the CCCC. Phased winter inter-county training bans now determined on an annual basis.

Motion 16 — Individuals hit with proposed suspensions/penalties must now reply to the charges within two days instead of three.

Motion 17 — The Donal Moloney motion. No longer would an individual be allowed a stay of execution, ie an appeal won’t delay the effect of any penalty.

Motion 18 — The addition of a Camogie Association representative as well as one from the Ladies Gaelic Football Association to Management Committee as non-voting members.

Motion 19 — The Liam Miller motion. Central Council to have the power, in exceptional circumstances, to make available GAA property held by provinces or counties, but not clubs, for activities other than those controlled by the Association.

Motion 21 — Central Council to be empowered to establish a new means of deciding the victor in “winner on the day” fixtures such as the All-Ireland SFC qualifiers, the All-Ireland SHC preliminary quarter-finals and the Joe McDonagh Cup.

Motion 22 — U20 footballers who are members of senior inter-county panels can return to play for their county’s U20 team providing the senior representatives have been knocked out of the All-Ireland SFC.

Motion 23 - Finalised team line-ups in the senior inter-county championships to be issued to the referee 40 minutes before throw-in instead of 20. Penalties for not doing so are fines and/or a removal of sideline privileges for the manager in question.

Motion 28 — Put forward by Central Council/the GAA’s Talent Academy and Players Development Review Committee, the separation of U17s from adult football and hurling at club level and a redefining of the juvenile age grades to U19, U17, U15 and U13. There are five other age grade-related proposals from Kildare, Kerry, Clare, Tipperary and Tyrone, some of which contradict the GAA one.

Motion 31 — Allowed one proposal at Congress, the Gaelic Players Association called for representation on the CCCC.

Motion 39 — Donegal propose that no team is allowed to nominate Croke Park as their home venue in the Super 8.

Motion 40 — Kilkenny club O’Loughlin Gaels seek the All-Ireland finals be played on or before the third Sunday in September. Central Council/CCCC have an opposing motion, numbered 24, which states the finals be played on or before the 35th Sunday in the year or in the case when January 1 falls on a Sunday the 36th Sunday in the year.