GAA, FAI and IRFU risk losing up to €5.2m in funding

The ‘Women in Sport’ policy update shows that the GAA, IRFU and FAI have an average of 16.6 per cent female representatives on their boards. However, Sport Ireland expressed satisfaction that, more generally, sport was making progress on the issue.

Wed, 21 Dec, 2022 - 07:20

Ian Mallon

Half of all national governing bodies (NGBs) have achieved the required gender-balance quota of a minimum of 40% female members on their boards, one year ahead of the 2023 deadline.

According to new data released by Sport Ireland, the three largest three sporting organisations have yet to achieve more than half of that required representative number, risking a combined €5.2m in funding.

The ‘Women in Sport’ policy update shows that the GAA, IRFU and FAI have an average of 16.6% female representatives on their boards. However, Sport Ireland expressed satisfaction that, more generally, sport was making progress on the issue.

The end-of-year report by the statutory agency shows that 34 NGBs have reached the minimum requirement of 40%, while 33 have not — of these, 17 have failed to reach even 20% female representation.

Two NGBs have been highlighted in the ‘Women in Sport Snapshot’ as having failed to reach more than 10%, with Snooker and Billiards Ireland having no females amongst its 12 board members, while Pitch & Putt Ireland have just one woman on its 10 member Board.

The organisations with the largest numbers of females is the Baton Twirling Sport Association of Ireland with a stated 75% — although the numbers are confused with a six out of 10 breakdown for members, National Community Games with 67% (six out of nine) and the Camogie Association — 65% (11 out of 17).

Out of the ‘Big Three’ NGBs, the GAA is the best performer with 20% of directors now female (four out of 20) while the FAI is currently rated at 17% with two out of 12, while the IRFU has 13%, three out of 23.

Sports organisations that fail to reach the required number of female representatives will face having 50% of funding cut in 2024 if next year’s deadline is not reached, working out at €5.2m for rugby, Gaelic games and soccer.

Earlier this year, the then Sports Minister Jack Chambers warned that the FAI, GAA and IRFU “all haven’t made enough progress and really they have to reform their structures to reflect that” he said.

“If you go down to a local nursery now in any GAA club, any football club and even rugby clubs, you’ll see there is nearly 50-50 participation.

“Reflecting that at leadership level will lead to better decisions within sport.”

Sport Ireland, who are in charge of the oversight of gender-balance quotas, declared the figures show that considerable progress has been made in the area. CEO Una May said she is satisfied that the expressed 40% targets will be reached by next year, across the sector.

“Sport Ireland monitor and report on gender diversity in our funded bodies and we are working closely with organisations to provide resources and support to help them attain the target of 40% gender representation on their boards,” she said.

“If the current trajectory is maintained that will be achieved next year.”

Currently the FAI, GAA and IRFU receive €10.4m in Field Sport Investment funding, with the bulk of that money going to the FAI who are in receipt of €5.8m.

That works out at €3.6 more than the IRFU (€2.2m) and €3.2m more than the GAA (€2.4m). The FAI has not prioritised the issue this year, relying instead that the matter will be resolved in 2023.

Only last week, a vote to ratify board members at the ‘resumed FAI AGM’ sought to elect just one female member and four males, rather than the three women required by next year.

FAI chairman Roy Barrett expressed confidence that the issue will be successfully dealt with by the end-of-year deadline — however, last week’s vote failed to take place due to technical issues in the voting system employed by the association.