Mr. Colin Regan:

It is happening. Only a tiny percentage of GAA clubs have bars. I am from County Leitrim where none of the clubs has a bar. They would be largely urban-based clubs. I imagine that less than 5% of 1,600 clubs have a bar attached to them. I will find out the exact number and share it with the committee. In 2006, the GAA introduced its alcohol and substance abuse prevention programme in partnership with the HSE. At the time, Ireland was among the highest consumers of alcohol in the OECD.

Since then, more than 750 GAA clubs have introduced an alcohol and substance abuse prevention policy. During my childhood, after an underage match we would be brought into the local pub for sandwiches. After every county final, the pub was where the medals were handed out. That idea or association has been completely broken. The GAA sample club drug and alcohol abuse policy clearly indicates that no juvenile events should even take place in the local premises. We do not allow sponsorship of any juvenile teams, gear or equipment by licensed premises.

As part of phase 2 of the healthy club project, more than half of the 60 clubs involved became completely smoke-free campuses. More than half of the 150 clubs now in phase 3 have indicated that they will do the same.

A major cultural shift has been taking place. It comes down to an appreciation that the GAA club is a setting for something beyond the delivery of the skills associated with Gaelic games. It is a setting where people come together as families and as a community to socialise. The idea is that this setting can promote positive health messages in a variety of areas. Clubs are becoming far more mindful of how they can do that. We are fortunate with some of the partnerships we have developed, including with Healthy Ireland, the HSE and the National Office for Suicide Prevention. We have also received support from Irish Life through corporate social responsibility investment. We have been able to development a community and health department in Croke Park that is solely responsible for trying to drive this shift.

It is also important to note that the association has no alcohol sponsorship at national level. There has been no such arrangement since we parted ways with Guinness as the sponsor of hurling. We are unique in an Irish context in that regard given how large the association is and yet we are in no way dependent on alcohol sponsorship.