GAA focus on changing with times

STRATEGIC VISION AND ACTION PLAN 2009-2015: YESTERDAY'S LAUNCH of the GAA's latest planning document, Strategic Vision and Action Plan 2009-2015, designed to take the organisation forward another seven years, emphasised that the document is meant to be a low-key manifesto, aimed at addressing pressing issues but with the flexibility to change emphasis according to unfolding circumstances.

In the introduction, written by Dr Larry O'Connell of NESC (National Economic and Social Council), the intention of the plan is spelled: "It maps out ways that we can protect what is valuable to us: our health, the wellbeing of our children, the support that we can give to others in urban and rural areas and our sense of being Irish. It outlines specific plans to deal with changes in urban areas, to integrate new communities into the GAA and to help local clubs to respond to the changes in their own community."

One aspect of the plan is that the context in which the GAA operates has changed significantly since 2002, as pointed out by O'Connell: "There are more people here from more countries around the world. In 2002, there were 274,000 people who were non-Irish nationals; in 2008 there are over 465,000."

In his foreword, director general Páraic Duffy outlines the issues facing the association and addressed in the plan: "The challenge now is for us all to put the plan in place in a way that: cements our position as the leading community-based organisation in Ireland and develops the Association in overseas communities; maintains Gaelic sports and activities as an attractive proposition for all; and ensure we have a strong base for the next generation to build from."

The plan goes on to set out its mission statement, vision and values. Among the values listed are amateurism, inclusiveness,respectand player welfare.

Commenting afterwards, GAA president Nickey Brennan said the plan was about meeting the increasing challenges of the modern world, which had changed in the past six years.

"At the end of the day the bottom line is that we have a country that's changing. People have more choices with their leisure time and not just competitor sports but other forms of entertainment. It is up to us as an organisation to understand that we have a more challenging environment than was here in 2002.

"These are a set of actions which will continue to place the organisation at the forefront of the Irish sporting landscape. It is also an enabler for those who volunteer in our association to face challenges and make this a better association going forward."

He declined to comment on the current controversy concerning the GPA's threat to withdraw from the dope testing programme in retaliation for the Government's likely reneging on the three-year players' awards scheme and in the context of Kerry player Aidan O'Mahony's facing a hearing for testing for more than the permitted level of salbutamol, the prescription drug used to treat asthma from which the player suffers.

Explaining that, with the GAA's first positive test now in process, it would be inappropriate were he to make any comment on the matter at present, although he insisted the GAA was not bound by its public funding to sign up to the testing regime, a view at odds with documentation that passed between Croke Park and the then government in 2001.

He said: "It has never been said to the GAA that there was a connection between funding and drug testing. We will talk more about this matter in due course but I can assure you that the issue of GAA funding and its link with us signing up to this scheme was never an issue."

Main points of plans

Enhancing players' experience

• To develop and expand support through the player injury scheme, educational programmes, health initiatives and maintaining a website resource on player welfare.

• Through the Medical, Scientific and Welfare committee learn from latest research and develop best practice.

• Devising an appropriate programme and schedule of games.

Amateurism/Volunteers

• Establishing a volunteer commitment scheme, a one-year active involvement for former players or any other members.

• Inaugurate an annual Volunteer Forum.

Urbanisation

• Rolling out GAA recreational games for all age groups.

• Establishing national steering groups to devise an urban development plan.

• Establishing centres of excellence in each urban area.

Fixtures

• Put in place a national fixtures planning committee to devise a three-year programme of matches.

• Two fixtures planners to be appointed to each county and province.

Games Development

• All county managers to have the Award 1 level of coaching credential by 2012 and by 2015 all to have reached the Award 2 standard.

Communications

• Launch intranet website for association members.

• Re-launch the GAA website.

• Establish training plan for PROs.

• Annual online communications audit to be established.

Funding

• Target five per cent increases in sponsorship funding and attendance revenue.

Financial excellence

• Eventually redistribute up to 88% of central funds to GAA units.

• Seventy five per cent of funds to be distributed on a "merit" basis.

Inclusion and integration

• Recruit inclusion officer

• Pilot "Have-a-go" days with a view to having them in place in 30 per cent of clubs by 2015

• Change Official Guide to reflect anti-sectarian, pro-inclusion status

• The establishing in Ulster of urban focused cross-community Gaelic games camps and continuing to develop links with the Unionist community.

Club, culture and community

• All clubs to have signage around their premises.

• The GAA national aural history project to be completed by 2015

Planning.

• Strategic plan in place for each unit of the association.

• Planning culture embedded in the association.

Officer support

• Intranet information service in place for officers.

• Officers to give the Croke Park support network a satisfaction rating of more than 75% by 2015.