25/04/2026
The AILG has signed a historic charter with the GAA to forge a closer working relationship between the Gaelic Athletic Association at their national annual conference in Tipperary, which took place on the 22nd and 23rd of April.
Signing the charter on behalf of the GAA was Uachtarán Jarlath Burns and it was signed on behalf of the councillors of Ireland by Cllr Mary Hanna Hourigan, President of AILG.
It comes as the GAA presented its findings from its recent Demographic Report to nearly 300 councillors who assembled in Clonmel for their annual conference.
The Charter aims to forge a working relationship between the GAA and the local government sector to address some key areas of concern, raised in their Demographics Report.
Chief among them is the regional imbalance that exists between the over urbanised East coast of Ireland and areas of sparse population in the West and South.
During their presentation at the annual conference, the GAA expressed and highlighted concerns relating to the issue of access to playing facilities for its members in the new urbanised areas that have been created across Ireland and the need for greater input by local authorities in providing playing pitches and creating municipal style facilities.
Also in attendance at the signing ceremony were CCMA Chairman Paddy Mahon, Tipperary County Council CEO Sinead Carr and LGMA CEO Pauline Mulligan.
As part of the charter the GAA and AILG have made the following commitments:
1. Support Balanced Regional Development
• We will support and advocate for population expansion in rural Ireland to counter in some way the significant growth that has occurred and continues to occur in urban areas. We recognise the importance of developing sustainable rural towns and villages, retaining and increasing population therein, together with investing in necessary infrastructure and amenities.
2. Encourage Better Collaboration Between Local Government and GAA
• Actively establish the links required that will allow for better communication between local government and the GAA so that we can review progress, share best practice and identify co-funding opportunities.
• Local government is central to the sustainability and growth of the GAA North and South. County and City Councils, municipal districts and local development agencies are often the primary funders and decision makers for sports facilities, land use and community development projects.
• We will encourage submission from the units of the GAA across Ireland to the democratic process of County Development Plans in order to assist and shape local authority development strategies and council community plans North and South. We will also encourage local GAA clubs to participate in Public Participation Networks (PPNs) and Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) to influence grassroots policy.
3. Plan and Fund Facilities In Line with Population Growth
• In line with demographic change, local authorities should ensure that new and upgraded sporting facilities are developed proportionate to population growth and community needs.
• We encourage incorporating clear facility standards and zoning policies within Development Plans (South) and Local Development Plans (North),and to seek that developers of large housing projects contribute appropriately to recreational land and infrastructure.
• We will encourage local authorities and national government to establish guidelines for open and green space per 1,000 residents, drawing on international best practice such as the UK’s 6-acre standard.
4. Develop An All-Island Sporting Facilities Framework
• We will encourage the development of an All-Island Sporting Facilities Framework to ensure that all communities, rural and urban, have equitable access to high quality, inclusive, and sustainable sporting infrastructure that meets both current and future demand.
