GAA county chairpersons met online yesterday with the President and Director General of the Association to discuss areas including the latest moves on Covid-19 restrictions and the financial pressures the pandemic has brought.
Counties were asked to double down on efforts to adhere to the guidelines issued this week until such a time as further advice is made available from the government.
Tom Ryan also informed county chairpersons of intentions to make centrally sourced borrowings available to county committees at the earliest opportunity to assist in the running of their activities before Government funding as part of the Sports Recovery fund of €70 million starts to flow.
The three major field sports of Gaelic Games, Rugby and Soccer are set to share €40 million of that but the process of application and distribution will take time.
Plans to stage championships in the coming months remain under consideration subject to health considerations.
The counties pressed for the GAA to ascertain from NPHET the shortcomings in the wider sporting community that exist so that, if necessary, the GAA can review its arrangements.
This engagement has been frustratingly missing from recent shifts in policy but it was revealed last night that revised guidance allowing a greater level of parental involvement at juvenile sporting fixtures will ease some concerns.
Common sense has to be at the heart of a balanced response, albeit once the primary concern of maintaining health remains to the fore.
