2027 remains target for integration despite GAA Management Committee reservations
GAA director general Tom Ryan on integration: “Everywhere you look, there are complications." Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
GAA director general Tom Ryan says the association’s target for full integration of the three main Gaelic sports bodies remains 2027 despite its management committee’s assertion it is unrealistic.
At their meeting attended by integration steering committee chairperson Mary McAleese in December, the body informed McAleese that the timeline for the merger of the GAA, Ladies Gaelic Football Association and the Camogie Association was too tight.
According to minutes from the December 19 gathering, McAleese “rejected” Management Committee’s view that “a phased implementation would represent a more measured approach, in order to better manage any risks and to accommodate any reasonable reservations that may be abroad in the Association”.
As a roadshow on integration commences next week, Ryan, who is a member of the 19-strong Management Committee as well as the McAleese-led steering body, said the objective remains next year.
Speaking at the launch of his annual report in Croke Park on Wednesday, Ryan remarked: “The 2027 deadline is the deadline that we set for ourselves, so there's nobody else looking on and telling us that's when it has to be. That was our target ourselves, and we're working really hard to get to that.
“As you get into the process and as you get into the detail of it, you learn a little bit more about how it's not an easy exercise, it’s not straightforward.
“Everywhere you look, there are complications. As of now the target for us is 2027, but it's our target, so what we do over the course of the next six months is we share that with people. The people that are going to make it work are the people on the ground.”
Ryan can “understand” why the Management Committee believe 2027 is an unrealistic goal. “The most important thing from my point of view is that it's done correctly, so if that means that it takes a little bit longer but it's more solid and it's more better grounded… to me, that's the win.”
He played down McAleese’s negative reaction to Management Committee’s opinion. “I wouldn't even characterise it that strongly, and it will be the same all over the country. For the next six months, we'll have really robust and strong conversations about all of that.
“But you know what's really brilliant, there's a huge amount of goodwill towards the overall project. Everybody wants to see it happen, everybody cares passionately about it, and when you're in that situation you get diverse views and you get honestly held, robustly expressed views. That's what we have and I think it's a good thing.”
Ryan confirmed the GAA will be ethically analysing all prospective sponsors following their ethics and integrity commission’s review of the association’s partnership with Allianz.
The body recommended the GAA retain its relationship with the Allianz PLC despite a subsidiary of its wider group buying Israeli war bonds implicated in the genocide in Gaza.
As well as calling on the GAA to encourage Allianz PLC to use its influence to ensure other companies within its group are acting in accordance with Irish, European and international law, the ethics and integrity commission also proposed an audit of all contractual arrangements to ensure the companies are “not directly engaging in unethical activities”.
However, Ryan said only new business will be assessed. “One of the key things and learnings out of it is the degree to which the global economy is integrated all over the place and the degree to which it's very difficult to separate out any one entity and ring fence and identify its role in.
“One of the things that we've implemented is we take a look now at potential partnerships and we do assess them in the light of all manner of factors to make sure that the fit is right for the association and we're very happy with the suite of partners that we have and they make a huge contribution to Gaelic games.”
In his annual report, Ryan revealed the 26 county boards have paid Revenue €2.3 million in voluntary tax disclosures for the 2021-24 period. That followed an agreement made between Croke Park and the commissioners early last year whereby counties would estimate their liability for 2024 and multiply it by four to cover the period.
However, Ryan has expressed disappointment about the underwhelming update by counties in a new expenses system for managers and backroom members.
Ahead of motions on the amateur review status being debated at Congress on February 28, Ryan wrote: “Doing nothing is not an option, and if this issue is not addressed urgently the financial consequences to our county boards from a tax perspective will be significantly higher.
“A similar risk exists for clubs. It is important that all clubs address this risk and conduct their affairs in a manner that is tax compliant and in accordance with our rules, I can’t put it any more plainly.”
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