The GAA have announced details of Friday's Special Congress when 67 delegates will vote by phone on two emergency motions that would allow the Association to effectively respond to the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak.
The motions, if passed, will allow the Association's 16-member management committee to declare that "Special Emergency Circumstances exist which make it impracticable to conduct the affairs of the Association in accordance with the Rules" and take over rule-making powers such as setting competition structures that are usually decided only by annual Congress.
GAA matches are not expected to resume until July at the earliest but competitions will presumably have to be condensed or cancelled this year.
The initial period of 'special emergency circumstances' would be for a maximum of 12 weeks but further eight-week periods can be approved by Central Council if necessary.
This measure would also be applicable in any future similar emergency, and also includes provision for the management committee to further delegate its powers to a smaller committee of at least four members (including the President and Director General, the latter without voting rights) if the management committee is unable to convene.
The 67 delegates comprise: one per county (32 in Ireland, 14 overseas), GAA president John Horan, GAA president-elect Larry McCarthy, the five provincial chairs (including Britain), two GAA trustees, seven past presidents and the GPA, handball, higher education, primary schools representatives and post primary schools reps.
The management committee comprises 16 people, including: Horan, director general Tom Ryan, former president Aogán Ó Fearghaíl, and the five provincial chairs.
