Amalgamation will benefit everyone, says Kelly

SEAN KELLY is adamant that the integration of the GAA with ladies football and camogie, at club level, will be beneficial to all three associations.

He was speaking at the publication of the Integration Task Force Report, set up in 2002 to develop closer links between the associations.

A pilot scheme subsequently launched revealed that, while the three bodies should remain autonomous, they should unite at club level while developing closer relationships at county, provincial and national levels.

This will mean that an overall fixtures schedule embracing all codes will need to be drawn up at county board level, while attention will also have to be given to issues such as finance, facilities, club membership and player insurance.

Integration officers are to be appointed onto each county committee within the next three years while provision will also be made for a representative of camogie and ladies football on each county committee, provincial council and on the GAA’s own Central Council.

While welcomed by most Gaelic games enthusiasts, concerns were raised at the GAA’s Annual Congress about the increased workload this could involve for officials.

However all present in Croke Park yesterday put a positive spin on the plans.

“I’m very pleased with the progress made in the last couple of years on the integration process as I feel it can only strengthen all three of our organisations,” said the GAA President.

“We looked at amalgamation at a national level a few years ago but all three associations agreed at the time that this would be simply too big and too unwieldy.

“We felt that all the good work the three organisations had done up to that would be undone if that were to happen.

“Ladies football and camogie are growing in stature.

“And it was felt that by amalgamating completely there wouldn’t be the same opportunities in terms of TV, sponsorship and other areas.”

Both the President of the Camogie Association, Miriam O’Callaghan and the Ladies Football President, Geraldine Giles were adamant that the arrangement was a logical way to pool their resources at ground level.

“It might have been hard to persuade our members in the past but now there is a general feeling that it is the right time to implement it,” said O’Callaghan.

“This report has allayed the fears that were there 20 years ago that a move like this would see us being swallowed up.

“We are moving from a goodwill basis that already existed to a more formalised agreement.”

Said Giles: “When the recommendations of the Task Force have been fully implemented, we will have an appropriate structure to better our affairs at all levels - from club through county and provincial, right up to national level.”