Media coverage
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Media coverage
Title GAA integration could cost up to €1bn Degree of recognition National Media name/outlet Irish Examiner Media type Web Country/Territory United Kingdom Date 11/04/24 Description A comprehensive integration of the GAA, Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) and Camogie Association (CA) could cost up to €1 billion.
Surveyed by the Irish Examiner, leading GAA figures estimate the expense of the amalgamation might be as much as a 10-figure sum with the construction of new pitches, dressing rooms and upgrades being the principal outlays.
Publicly, the GAA have been reluctant to provide a figure. However, prominent officials in the association believe the price of the three bodies joining forces whereby female codes would receive equal access to suitable playing facilities will be considerable.
There Burns refused to provide an estimate before an audit of GAA facilities is completed. “If three is going to become one… there is going to be a greater need for extra pitches and extra facilities,” he said. “Now, I’m not going to put a figure on it. The previous infrastructure chair John Murphy who is now a trustee of the Association has a figure on it.
“But what I have asked is the new infrastructure committee chair led by Seán Michael O’Regan from Waterford to come up with a 10-year infrastructure strategy, something like the FAI have already done in that very impressive document.
“If we mirror that, I think before we start running for funds there can be an acceptance that we already invest multiple millions in our facilities and if this is going to happen it’s going to be a new challenge for all of us, and if we are the people with the facilities we want to create the facilities commensurate with the needs of the ladies playing our games.”
The FAI are looking for 60% (€517m) of their €863m infrastructure plan over the next 15 years to be funded by the Exchequer.
Murphy was not available for comment but well-placed sources reckon the amount of construction work required to achieve full integration will conservatively cost several hundred million.
Where the GAA could make large savings is strengthening partnerships with secondary and third level schools and developing their playing facilities, which are not required the whole year round.
At inter-county level, the expectation from the Gaelic Players Association is parity of esteem. Counties last year spent €40m on preparing male teams.
With a maximum of 11 months before the next General Election, there is hope among GAA officials that the current government will be agreeable to providing a substantial amount of funding to make integration a reality.
However, as Burns articulated, the GAA first want to compile the most accurate inventory of their current facilities. That data will be forthcoming from an audit of clubs. Units recently received documents to complete.
The GAA also believe the study they have commissioned to ascertain the economic impact and social value of the three GAA bodies will support their argument for funding.
That work, which is being conducted by the Sports Industry Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University, Ulster University and Manchester Metropolitan University is set to be completed by the end of the third quarter of the year.Producer/Author John Fogarty URL https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-41372248.html Persons Paul Donnelly, Professor Simon Shibli
Keywords
- Social Value
- Economic Value
- Impact of Gaelic Games