Football

GAA delegates expected to pass power over to management committee in 'special emergency circumstances'

GAA President John Horan will be on the new 16-member management committee
GAA President John Horan will be on the new 16-member management committee GAA President John Horan will be on the new 16-member management committee

SIXTY-seven GAA delegates are expected to grant powers for reshaping the 2020 season to a 16-man management committee in today’s Special Congress.

Delegates will vote by phone and, if passed, the two emergency motions on the agenda will establish an interim governance structure for the Association and allow a 16-member management committee – including president John Horan and director general Tom Ryan - to declare that: “Special emergency circumstances exist which make it impracticable to conduct the affairs of the Association in accordance with the rules".

The management committee would then take over rule-making powers such as setting competition structures for this season that can usually be decided only by annual Congress.

“In ordinary circumstances we are bound in all regards by Congress,” explained a GAA statement.

“However, in an emergency situation it means we have no flexibility on things like, for example, redefining competition structures.

“This proposal transfers, in exceptional circumstances, the power of Congress to the GAA Management Committee, with strict parameters and safeguards. This is the means by which the Association will give itself the capacity to respond to the current situation and unless needed for a further period, our structures revert back to the standard model after 12 weeks and this measure would also be applicable in any future similar emergency.”

The list of 67 delegates in today’s meeting is made up of a representative from each county (32 in Ireland, 14 overseas), GAA president John Horan, GAA president-elect Larry McCarthy, the five provincial chairs (including Britain), two GAA trustees, seven past presidents and the GPA, handball, higher education, primary schools representatives and post primary schools reps.

The management committee comprises 16 people, including: Horan, Tom Ryan, former president Aogán Ó Fearghaíl, and the five provincial chairs.

Today’s Special Congress will examine the possibilities for the forthcoming season which has been derailed by the Covid-19 pandemic. This week the GAA hinted that the football and hurling Championships will be delayed until later in the summer.

"The senior inter-county championships, scheduled to begin in May, will be postponed until further clarity on the current situation is available," read a statement.

"However, it is the Association's view that it is highly unlikely these will be rescheduled any time before the beginning of July, at the earliest."