GAA rulebook to be overhauled

COMMITTEE: Ex-Cork secretary Frank Murphy is a member of the GAA's rules advisory committee who have been given the go-ahead to reformat part one of The Official Guide, which largely applies to non-playing rules. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

The GAA are to overhaul a large part of their rulebook in the interests of expediency and clarity.

The rules advisory committee, chaired by Liam Keane and featuring former chair and ex-Cork secretary Frank Murphy, have been given the go-ahead to reformat part one of The Official Guide, which largely applies to non-playing rules.

It is envisaged the guide will be split into two: The Official Guide, which can only be amended by Congress and The Official Codes and Procedures, those practices which can be altered by Central Council.

The decision is being taken as part of the committee’s remit but it comes in the wake of the pandemic in which Central Council were given emergency powers usually reserved for Congress. 

A recent report into that period by the GAA’s audit and risk committee found that Central Council had acted impeccably during that time and their extra authority had ensured the GAA was able to function during the crisis and the powers had only been used when required.

A previous playing rules committee had sought to simplify part two of the The Official Guide but it did not come to pass. Former Meath manager Seán Boylan was a member of that group. 

Speaking seven years ago, he said: “You’ve 90 or so rules of the game and how few players understand the game. How complicated have we made it for referees? Instead of more certainty coming into the area of rules, there is more uncertainty. It’s a question of looking at that and rewarding the positive which is distinct from rewarding the negative."

It was revealed at a recent Central Council meeting that one inter-county referee was requested to clarify 92 items by the defending party, behaviour which was deemed unacceptable by GAA authorities, and which will form a major discussion point at a planned seminar involving stakeholders such as referees, players, managers and officers. If required, proposed rule changes will be forthcoming.

Meanwhile, there will be no Special Congress this autumn as the GAA’s ages workgroup require more time to discuss options to amend the current U17 and U20 grades. Proposals will be put forward at next year’s Congress.

Motions seeking to return the minor grade to U18 were put forward at Congress earlier this year but deferred on the proviso that a committee was established to formulate collaborative recommendations. It is understood U19 is being considered as the new minor grade with U17 becoming a developmental competition at national level.