Mr. Tom Ryan:

When the GAA launched its new manifesto, Where We All Belong, in 2019, we considered it a statement of intent and a call to action. It exists as a reminder of the GAA’s values of inclusivity and community identity, and of the standards that we wish to live by.

The association is considered by many to be a cornerstone of Irish society. If we are to truly deserve that esteem, we must reflect a modern Ireland. As evidenced in the 2022 census, the face of our communities and national profile is changing with migrant populations adding ever increasingly to the rich tapestry of Irish life. The same applies to the GAA. In recent years, I have been proud to see players from diverse ethnic backgrounds take centre stage in leading senior inter-county teams.

The successes and challenges of inclusivity are to be found away from the spotlight too. As well as ensuring that as many people as possible from diverse backgrounds can experience and enjoy Gaelic games, inclusivity in the GAA also means ensuring that our games are accessible to those who have additional needs. We promote this under the banner, GAA for All. We have developed adapted games to cater for our members who in previous generations would not have been able to access football or hurling and all of the benefits they can bring. This programme has been enthusiastically embraced in clubs around the country which now offer our All Star programme. This involves playing and game experiences for persons across a broad spectrum of intellectual and physical disabilities. This means meaningful participation, connection and community. Make no mistake, however - for our wheelchair hurlers pulling on their provincial jersey is no less an honour than it is for their Liam McCarthy or Sam Maguire counterparts.

The GAA has recently developed a player pathway, which reflects a broad and inclusive approach to participation in Gaelic games. It determines the parameters for learning and participation for all players as they progress from juvenile Go Games to adult competition and beyond. We set out to cater for players of all abilities, including provision for those with additional needs. We strive to promote social games to cater for adults who have aged beyond formal competition, dropped out of sport altogether since their youth or are completely new entrants to the family of Gaelic games.

Much of our work and most of our impact is at local community level and is undertaken by our most valuable resource, our community volunteers, and so it is with inclusion. One recent and very evident manifestation of this occurred during the pandemic. By May 2020, almost 20,000 GAA volunteers were delivering essential goods and supports to almost 35,000 older people who were forced to physically isolate due to the threat of Covid-19. We have witnessed similar responses by our clubs to ensure that visitors fleeing the war in Ukraine are warmly welcomed into their new communities. To maximise the GAA's contribution to Irish social capital and cohesion, the Irish Life GAA healthy club programme was pioneered in 2013. From a pilot involving 16 clubs, the programme now engages 450 clubs across the association and really brings our ethos to life.

As I mentioned, our manifesto represents a call to action. We want the GAA to be somewhere where we all belong. A lot more needs to be done in Irish society to remove the barriers that prevent those from minority population groups, such as the LGBTQ and Traveller communities, those with disabilities and refugees, from fully engaging in Irish life.

We believe that sport in general, and the GAA in particular, can be a catalyst and an entry point for such people, and we want to play our part in making that happen. Please be assured that the GAA is committed to this cause. It will deliver a better, broader, stronger and more vibrant GAA in the years to come. It will be a GAA that fully reflects modern Irish life and we will be better equipped to ensure our continued contribution to it.

I am grateful to the joint committee for the opportunity to present our thinking to its members. I look forward to learning from members and our colleagues in the other sporting organisations today and in future as we promote inclusion in sport together.