Northern counties expected to share in Irish government GAA support fund

THE six northern counties are expected to share in a GAA funding package being prepared by the Irish government.

After receiving assurances of government financial support, the GAA confirmed the All-Ireland football and hurling championships will go ahead next month.

The association estimates that running the inter-county games at senior, under-20 and minor level will cost around €20 million.

No figures have yet been announced, but the GAA reportedly hopes to receive at least €15m from the Dublin government's Covid rescue package for sporting organisations.

The GAA is said to be preparing a €7m funding package for counties to allow all teams to prepare for the championships.

Due to the association's all-island ethos, counties in the north are also expected to benefit.

The GAA was last night remaining tight-lipped on the potential funding for northern counties ahead of hearing the detail of the government's support package.

A spokesman said: "We won't be making any public comment until we have clarity from the Irish government around funding and that's likely to be part of their wider announcement related to the overall Covid plan on Tuesday."

Ulster GAA also did not respond to requests for a comment.

This year's All-Ireland Senior Football Championship is due to start on October 31, while hurling begins a week earlier.

In a statement on Saturday, the GAA said its management committee had decided that plans to stage the championships would go ahead "following positive interaction with the government and an understanding that specific financial supports will be made available".

The GAA and other sporting organisations have faced significant financial pressures due to fixtures being cancelled or restricted amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ger Mulryan, the GAA's finance director, told a senior meeting at the weekend that the association expects to lose €50m this year and a further €20m in 2021.

He said the GAA is now facing "major financial restructuring" in an attempt to "control losses", the Sunday Independent reported.

It speculated that clubs and capital development projects will not be funded until the GAA's finances improve, while coaching and player development programmes will also be affected.

Due to the funding pressures, the association is putting "strict financial controls" on team spending during their preparations for the championships.

These are understood to include a limit on collective training sessions and a ban on training camps.

"In addition to this a plan and series of protocols produced by the association's Covid Advisory Group and which will facilitate the safe staging of inter-county games will be circulated to counties," the GAA added in its statement.

The Dublin government is set to announce tomorrow its medium-term plan for living with Covid-19.

In June, the Republic's then sports minister Shane Ross said up to €40m would be provided to the GAA, FAI and IRFU if needed to ensure their "solvency and continued existence" amid the pandemic.