Minister O'Donovan: 'I'm very confident some good will come out of the regrettable position that we're in'

Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O'Donovan. Pic: Mícheál Ó Scannáil/PA Wire

Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport Patrick O'Donovan is confident that some good will still come out of the "regrettable" situation surrounding the resignation of Dr Mary McAleese, chairperson of the Integration Committee.

Dr McAleese has stepped down from the body overseeing the amalgamation of the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association, but O'Donovan is doesn'texpect a long delay to integration as a result.

Minister O'Donovan met the GAA, LGFA, the Camogie Association as well as Dr McAleese on Wednesday and queried the governing bodies on their commitment to integration.

"I asked the Ard Stiúrthóir of the GAA, Tom Ryan, yesterday if during the year 2027 will we have an umbrella, a legal structure that can be put to the three congresses and he said yes, he was confident of that."

"I'm very confident some good will come out of the regrettable position that we're in where Mary has decided to step back. I am absolutely convinced of that because now there's people talking about the integration of Gaelic Games and women's role in Irish sport that were never talking about it before."

Asked about Mary McAleese's comments on Inside Sport that that there are some people in the GAA who are not entirely happy about the idea of including women in decision-making roles, Minister O'Donovan added: "There are existing avenues where people are making substantial progress but more needs to be done and the GAA recognises that.

"This is entirely a matter for them, this is not a matter for government."