GAA's Games Development Funding and Governance Review

The GAA welcomes the additional €1 million for Gaelic Games Development, with a focus on hurling and camogie, announced in last week's Budget. This represents further progress on the Government's Programme for Government commitment to support the development of Gaelic games.

Building on the €783,000 awarded in Budget 2026, this additional funding provides a welcome opportunity to strengthen and support the clubs, coaches and volunteers at the heart of both games.

The announcement comes at an important time, following Ard Chomhairle's approval of the GAA's Games Development Funding and Governance Review on Saturday, October 3.

The Review sets out a renewed approach to Games Development, built around Clarity, Cohesion and Consistency, with a focus on providing more meaningful games opportunities, improving coaching support, increasing participation and developing stronger, more sustainable clubs.

An important element of the new approach is the proposed establishment of an Innovation Fund, designed to support targeted, evidence-based initiatives that respond to local needs, encourage collaboration and test new approaches to growing participation and strengthening clubs. The additional investment creates an opportunity to progress this proposal, particularly in relation to the development of hurling and camogie.

The GAA looks forward to working with the Government, Sport Ireland and the Camogie Association to ensure that this investment delivers meaningful and lasting benefits for players, coaches, volunteers, clubs and communities.

In light of the adoption of the aforementioned Games Development Funding and Governance Report by Ard Chomhairle, below is a Q and A about what it will mean for the Association and its overall approach to coaching and games development.

What is the Games Development Funding and Governance Report?

The report looks at how the GAA can get the greatest possible impact from its investment in Coaching and Games Development and ensure that our programmes continue to meet the changing needs of players, coaches, clubs and communities.

Coaching and Games Development has grown enormously. The Association is now investing approximately €15 million annually in the area, with €12.9 million directly supporting personnel and programmes in counties. That represents a very significant commitment to the future of Gaelic Games. The total investment is actually north of €20 million when we include what provinces and counties invest from their own funds.

Why undertake a Review?

The original funding model in 2022 saw an increase of €4 million to the overall GAA investment and was introduced on a four-year cycle, so this was a natural period for a review. The scale of the investment is precisely why the Review is so important. We want to ensure that every euro invested – and, equally importantly, the time and expertise of our volunteers and staff – is having the greatest possible impact.

How was the Review carried out?

The Review was informed by an extensive year-long consultation across Games Development, including engagement with counties, Games Development personnel and key stakeholders across the Association. This provided an important opportunity to hear directly from those delivering Games Development on the ground about what is working well, where challenges exist and where change could have the greatest impact.

The Group also considered the findings of previous reviews and reports into Games Development and organisational structures. We sought to learn from previous work, consider what has changed and focus on practical recommendations that can now be implemented.

What is the main message contained within the report?

The central message is that Coaching and Games Development must continue to evolve. There is excellent work happening throughout the country and thousands of volunteers (in clubs and schools), coaches and staff contribute enormously to the development of our games.

However, the environment in which the GAA operates is changing. Communities are changing, urban populations are growing, some rural communities are experiencing population decline, young people have more competing demands on their time and clubs face increasing challenges in recruiting and retaining volunteers.

Our Coaching and Games Development programmes must respond to those changes and provide clarity, consistency and cohesion.

Clarity so everyone understands the purpose of coaching and games development and the priorities and the outcomes we are seeking to achieve. Cohesion reflects the importance of national, provincial, county, club and school structures working together, with the player and club at the centre. Consistency is about ensuring that, while different counties and communities will always require different approaches, there are shared standards, principles and expectations across the Association.

How does the recent Government Budget allocation fit into this?

The additional Government investment is very welcome, but it is important to recognise that the GAA already makes a substantial financial commitment to Coaching and Games Development from its own resources.

Our annual investment of approximately €15 million, together with the additional investment made by provinces and counties, demonstrates the priority the Association places on developing our games.

The Budget allocation provides an opportunity to complement that investment and support initiatives that might otherwise be difficult to progress through existing funding arrangements.

The key is to ensure that additional resources are directed towards clearly identified needs and that we can demonstrate the difference they make**.**

What does the Review recommend to better support club coaches?

The Review recognises that club coaches are at the heart of player development and that we need to make it easier for volunteers to access practical support where and when they need it.

Rather than relying primarily on formal courses, the Review supports developing a network of coach support that is more local, practical and club-based. This could involve Games Development personnel working alongside a wider network of trained Coach Developers who can visit clubs, mentor coaches, provide practical workshops and help clubs address their particular coaching needs.

The emphasis should be on bringing coach development closer to the coach, reducing barriers to participation and providing ongoing support rather than relying on one-off interventions.

We want to make coach development easier to access and more relevant to what happens every week in our clubs. The best place to support many of our coaches is in their own club, working with their own players and dealing with the real challenges they encounter on the pitch.

There is a recommendation for a further examination of youth games. What will that involve?

We need to ensure that our games structures are designed around the needs of young players. To retain players between 13 and 18 we need to ensure that the games programme is comprehensive and attractive. We have established a group under the chairmanship of Ger Ryan to complete a broader examination of youth games to ensure young players have an appropriate balance between playing, practising, developing skills, recovering and enjoying the game.

Talent Academies create a lot of debate. Where do they fit in?

Talent Academies have a role in helping young players develop and reach their potential. However, given the investment of time, personnel and funding involved, it is appropriate to examine whether they are delivering the developmental outcomes we expect. The purpose of Talent Academies should be to provide something additional to a player's development that cannot reasonably be provided in their normal club or school environment.

How can the development of hurling be progressed?

The challenge is twofold. We cannot take participation in traditional areas for granted. Strong clubs, regular opportunities to play, quality coaching and continued recruitment and retention of young players are essential to maintaining the strength of the game.

At the same time, counties and communities where hurling has less established structures require targeted and sustained support to grow participation, develop coaches and build viable clubs where it is possible and practical to do so. There must be a volunteer base that wants to grow the game and be supported for this to happen.

From a funding perspective, it is necessary that funding will have clarity on the purpose for which funding is provided, the outcomes it is intended to achieve and the responsibility to demonstrate how those resources have been used.

We must ensure that the existing investment is being used as effectively as possible, while also making a strong case for additional external investment where it is justified. That includes support from national and local government.

What happens next, and how will the recommendations of the Review be implemented?

The priority now is to turn the recommendations into practical actions that make a difference for players, coaches, volunteers, clubs and communities.

Implementation will be phased and will involve engagement across the Association. Some recommendations can be progressed relatively quickly, while others – including the review of youth games and age grades, Talent Academies, coach development and future funding arrangements require further consultation and detailed work.

A clear Vision and Mission for Coaching and Games Development has been developed to guide implementation

Our Vision for Coaching and Games Development is “Outstanding coaching support and excellent games programmes enabling self-sufficient, sustainable and inclusive volunteer-led clubs and communities.” Our Mission is to“Provide high-quality coaching, games programmes and evidence-based support that promotes participation, develops volunteers and strengthens clubs and communities.”

These provide a clear test for the implementation of the report. Every recommendation should ultimately contribute to better coaching support, better games opportunities, increased participation, stronger volunteers and more sustainable clubs and communities.

A report only has value if it leads to meaningful change. Our task now is to take the principles of Cohesion, Clarity and Consistency and turn them into practical improvements that can be seen and experienced in our clubs, schools and communities.