The GAA has become the country’s first sporting organisation to launch a national anti-bullying campaign. 
GAA Tackling Bullying is a new training resource that the GAA will roll out across the country during 2013.
It has been developed in response to a growing awareness of the impact of bullying in society and particularly in sport.
There has been a heightened awareness recently of sledging and racial bullying on the field of play and the action has been taken to seek to prevent this in a sporting context first, but with obvious additional benefit for those campaigning against bullying in broader society.
The programme consists of a two-hour training workshop aimed at coaches, parents, players and other club personnel.
It also includes a range of awareness raising publicity material for use in and around the clubs.
The drafting and piloting phase of the programme has taken more than a year with 10 pilot workshops and a number of consultation meetings with underage players, parents and coaches.
The two-hour programme may be run in tandem and complimentary to any other educational or community anti-bullying initiatives and is suitable for delivery at both adult and under age levels.
There are a number of schemes reaching out to young people at the moment including an ISPCC Shield campaign featuring Olly Murs.
The campaign was launched at Croke Park by Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar who said “‘I commend the GAA for developing this programme to address and prevent bullying. With a presence in local communities around the country, the GAA is very well placed to develop awareness and influence young people within the GAA and in the wider community. This programme is an excellent example of how sport can make a significant contribution to social issues.”
In addition to activity within the GAA, the programme is also being made available to the Irish Sports Council so that it can be adopted or adapted by other sports with a similar young profile of participants.
“This is the latest project we have undertaken as an organisation that is related directly to the health, safety and well being of our players – and particularly those at underage level,” added GAA President Liam O’Neill.
“Our Code of Best Practice in Youth Sport, our Code of Behaviour for those working with underage players and our commitment to Garda Vetting are examples to adherence to best practice in the creation of a safe environment for the promotion of our games for all.”
The GAA will train 50 Child Welfare Tutors to equip them to deliver the workshops at Club level in 2013.