'We will achieve it' - Gaelic games bodies vow to complete integration
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The leadership of Gaelic games bodies have insisted they remain committed to achieving integration and revealed they are close to announcing Dr Mary McAleese's successor as steering group chairperson.
Dr McAleese stepped down last month after the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) indicated it could not commit to the proposed timeline, in 2027, for its amalgamation with the Camogie Association and Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA)
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While the former Irish president's departure raised doubts over the merger of the three bodies, they declared "we will achieve" integration in an opening statement to the Joint-Oireachtas committee on arts, media, communications, culture and sport on Wednesday.
"Let us be clear, Dr McAleese's work over the past four years in advancing integration and the achievement in aligning our associations remains in place and this work has not been lost," said GAA president Jarlath Burns, who delivered the joint statement.
"I say that Cathaoirleach (chairperson) because listening to a lot of the public and political debate over the past month there have been some who have equated Dr McAleese's departure to the end of integration.
"Dr McAleese's work as Chair of the Steering Group on Integration has brought us a huge way down the road and we are closer to that goal because of her work – not further away.
"There have also been some who questioned the commitment of our three organisations – and let's call a spade a spade specifically the GAA – towards integration."
Burns added: "Well, let me be equally straight here with you – the three presidents and three Ard Stiúrthóirí (director generals) sitting before you this afternoon are here to say that we are committed to achieving integration of our organisations and we will achieve it.
"We will do so because our organisations will be stronger together and all our members will benefit from us operating under one body and making sure everyone enjoys the benefits of that one new organisation. That is our guiding star and has always been."
Burns also said that Dr McAleese's exit "came as a great surprise to us" and added he would expect to have a clearer timeline for integration at next year's GAA Congress.
'It may take a number of years'
GAA director general Tom Ryan said integration is the "biggest thing that our organisation has done, structurally, since its foundation 140 years ago".
He added that it is his personal view that full integration may take "a number of years".
"When we go to our congresses, we will set out what needs to happen and we will set out when it needs to happen.
"We will embark upon the journey irrevocably and there will be a timeline at intervals where each successive element of the change of implementation takes effect.
"Speaking personally, I think that is a process that will take a number of years."
Ryan also indicated that McAleese's successor will be announced in the coming days.