Annual Congress 2026: The Motions Explained

By Cian O'Connell

The GAA’s Annual Congress takes place on Friday and Saturday at Croke Park.

A total of 25 motions will be debated and voted on by delegates.

Motions have been submitted from various units, Central Council, the Amateur Status Review Committee, CCCC, the Hurling Development Committee, the Demographics Committee in conjunction with the Standing Committee on Playing Rules, Development CCC, and the Rules Advisory Committee.

Overall, 23 of the motions are changes to existing rules, requiring more than 60 per cent approval, and two are new rules, needing more than 50 per cent to pass.

At the bottom of this article, you can view and download the motions as they will appear before the delegates.

You can also download some useful documents to read alongside examining the motions – GAA Official Guide Parts 1 & 2, Ard Stiúrthóir Tom Ryan’s Annual Report, and the GAA’s Financial Report.

Below is a simplified guide to the motions to be dealt with this weekend.

MOTION 1: This is to do with the election of county officers. Currently, if you've completed five years in any position, you can't do a second consecutive term, but you can return to a position after a five year period away. This proposal from Meath is to introduce a variation to the five year rule and to change how the five years is calculated.

MOTION 2: This motion is about the composition of Central Council. This rule defines how Central Council is comprised and the proposal from Old Leighlin in Carlow is that a representative from GAA Rounders will be added to Ard Chomhairle.

MOTION 3: This motion is about the concept of a first club. The current definition is that your first club is the one you play for at U12 or above. The proposal from Kilteely-Dromkeen is to change that age grade to U10.

MOTION 4: This proposal is from the Kerry County Committee. It sets out the general principle that a player can only play championship in one county in a given year. One current exception is that when U21 or younger, when your club doesn't have a team, you can play with another team, but only under a combined or an independent team name. The proposal is to change that specific exception so the player, who doesn't have a team in his club, just plays with another club rather than an independent team. It is subject to various permissions and approvals.

MOTION 5: This motion is from Clontarf about playing restrictions and eligibility for playing senior inter-county. It is proposing that you can only play for a county when you've played eight league or championship games for your club in the previous year. That restriction will only apply to senior inter-county championship.

MOTION 6: This motion from Laois is to dispense with the All-Ireland SHC preliminary quarter-finals. The proposal is that the third place team in the Leinster and Munster SHC will simply play the runner-up in the opposite province in two quarter-final matches.

The second element of the Laois proposal is that in the Joe McDonagh Cup, the top team will qualify for the final with the second and third teams meeting in a semi-final. The second placed team will have home advantage.

The motion is proposing to do two things, it is seeking to get rid of the All-Ireland SHC preliminary quarter-final, and introduce a new round in the Joe McDonagh Cup.

Motion 18 is similar from CCCC. That is simply to dispense with the All-Ireland SHC preliminary quarter-finals. If Motion 6 passes, Motion 18 won't be heard.

MOTION 7: This motion, from Tempo Maguires, is to do with All-Ireland finals. The rule currently states that the All-Ireland senior finals are to be played at Croke Park, but it doesn't say anything about minor finals. The motion is proposing to fix All-Ireland minor finals in Croke Park as curtain raisers to the respective senior finals.

MOTION 8: This motion is from the GPA. It is to do with the duration of the senior inter-county playing season. This new proposal introduces a limit on the extent of the season to 30 competitive weekends, including all competitions. The only exception is an All-Ireland final replay, if required which extends the season to a 31st weekend. This would be a new rule, so it only requires more than 50 per cent majority.

MOTION 9: This proposal is from Abbeylara. Currently, a referee or another official isn't required to give oral evidence or attend a hearing for cross examination. The change being proposed is specifying that exclusion applies to match officials, not just officials. It also specifies that those officials shall not attend hearings.

MOTION 10: The proposal from Abbeylara specifies that a decision, on appeal, will come into effect at two possible stages. If no appeal is made, the verdict takes effect from when the period for the permitted appeal has expired. If an appeal is made, then the verdict comes into effect when the appeal decision is made.

MOTION 11: This proposal from Castledaly is about changing the minimum number of members required to call a special general meeting. Currently, a special general meeting can be called by 12 members of a club. What Castledaly are proposing is that a special general meeting can be called by 10 per cent of the membership or 25 members - whichever is greater.

MOTION 12: This motion, about the composition of the Management Committee, submitted by Central Council, is to change the wording of the rule, so it allows for, at least, three female appointments.

MOTION 13: Currently Winner on the Day applies to all knockout games in the Championship, with the exception of the All-Ireland finals, which go to a replay after extra-time. This new proposal extends that arrangement to provincial football finals.

MOTION 14: This proposal is to move the dates of the All-Ireland finals back a couple of weeks. The current requirement is the finals must be played by the 30th Sunday of the year. This proposal moves the All-Ireland finals back by two weeks. It shall be played on or before the 32nd Sunday of the year. There is a corresponding concession at the other end of the year, meaning no inter-county competitions can be played before the fourth Sunday of the year. It proposes that the All-Ireland finals will be played in August and that there will be no pre-season competitions. Clubs from the four counties who reach the All-Ireland finals will get a bye in the first round of their provincial championships.

MOTION 15: This proposal from the Amateur Status Review Committee introduces a new concept of certification for counties in order to be able to participate in senior inter-county competitions. As a new rule, this requires 50 per cent approval.

MOTION 16: This proposal from the Amateur Status Review Committee is recasting and rewording a rule. It changes the rule, it doesn't just express what people can't do, but also expresses what can be done.

MOTION 17: This motion is about New York's participation in inter-county championships. It is to do with the hurling groups in which New York participation regarding promotion and relegation.

MOTION 18: If Motion 6 passes there will be no need for this motion. It proposes to terminate the All-Ireland SHC preliminary quarter-finals.

MOTION 19: This proposal is to bring dissent rules, applied in Gaelic Football, into hurling. The slight difference is a free in hurling will be brought forward 30 metres as distinct from 50 metres in football.

MOTION 20: This motion relates to the definition of a club. It is about beginning the process to allow Central Council to develop policy about the definition of a club. It will give County Committees the opportunity to determine clubs within their own counties.

MOTION 21: This proposal helps to alleviate difficulties with small, rural clubs. At the moment, a team can play 13-a-side, but this proposal gives the County Committee an opportunity to adjust the number of outfield players to not below 11. So, it will allow 12-a-side to be played.

MOTION 22: This proposal adds a number of positions that will be part of the composition of Development CCC. It also proposes to give the authority to do an annual operational review of club and inter-county competitions at U17 and younger age groups.

MOTION 23: This proposal is about the powers and functions of Central Council. It affords Central Council the ability to interpret codes as well as rules.

MOTION 24: This proposal is giving the opportunity for counties to use an online system for club transfers.

MOTION 25: This proposal, dealing with permanent residency which effects transfers and player eligibility, is that Central Council would put in place guidelines for residency enabling counties, depending on their own criteria, would pick from those guidelines in the policy.