GAA's ethics committee yet to submit Allianz report

Central Council told Casement Park needs another £130million (€148m) to be a 30,000 venue

AWAITING REPORT: The GAA have not yet received the ethics and integrity committee’s report reviewing the organisation’s relationship with Allianz. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

The GAA have not yet received the ethics and integrity committee’s report reviewing the organisation’s relationship with Allianz.

Central Council delegates on Saturday were told their work is still ongoing eight weeks out from the start of the National Leagues in January, which are sponsored by the global insurance company.

Commissioned in September to assess the UN’s claim that a subsidiary of Allianz’s financial ties with Israel and the war in Gaza, the GAA leadership reported to Ard Chomhairle that the extent of their work is considerable.

The news comes as Roscommon on Friday became the fifth county after Offaly, Tyrone, Fermanagh and Down to pass a motion calling on the GAA to cut its commercial ties with the firm.

At the Central Council meeting in Croke Park, delegates were also told another £130 million (€148m) of funding for a 30,000-capacity Casement Park that would require a redesign from the previous plans.

At the Central Council meeting in Croke Park, delegates were also told another £130 million (€148m) of funding for a 30,000-capacity Casement Park that would require a redesign from the previous plans.

At present, £170m (€194m) is available for a revised venue, which would comprise 18,000 seats and 12,000 terrace. GAA officials hope that figure can be augmented by £55m (€62.7m) if inflation is considered. In 2011, the Stormont Executive committed £62.5m (€71.3m) to the reconstruction of the Belfast venue, which would be over £93m (€106m) now. The GAA’s own commitment of £15m (€17m) would jump to £22m (€25m). It was also revealed a total of £10m (€11.4m) will be required to complete remediation and dilapidation work.

Proposals from the amateur status review including a spending ceiling on inter-county teams were also backed to be discussed at Congress.

The body have called for a limit on the expenditure applying to non-mileage expenses such as payments for team management, transport, backroom team members and other sundries.

They propose a central management team comprise one manager and three coaches/selectors. Managers would also have to complete induction programmes.

Motions from the Hurling Development Committee (HDC) to disband the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals from next year as well as incorporate a 30 metre free advancement for dissent was also endorsed to be debated at Congress in February.

Counties have been asked to discuss the possibility of reintroducing curtain-raisers for All-Ireland finals – as reported earlier this week, Munster GAA are calling on the minor grade at inter-county level to jump to U18.

While, there will be a review of the situation in Waterford where Ballygunner are due to have two teams contesting the senior hurling championship next season.

A recommendation by the rules advisory committee to prohibit two teams from lining out in the same grade was debated but delegates called for further consultation on the matter.

The GAA master fixtures calendar for 2026 was also signed off by Central Council and details of league fixtures will be announced in the coming days. The hurling preliminary quarter-finals are pencilled in for next year but will be removed should the HDC motion pass in February.