Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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555. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding the agreement to proceed with elite GAA championship matches; if it was planned in this approach that second teams, that is, intermediate teams in inter-county championship under the banner of the GAA would find their competitions cancelled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33877/20]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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In line with the Government-approved “Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19” during the period of application of the current Level 5 restrictions all matches and other sporting events must cease. A limited exemption is set out in the public health regulations for certain elite and professional sportpeople and sporting activities, including certain games in camogie, football and hurling.

In this context, the Government's decision to exempt some Gaelic Games recognises the unique place that the Gaelic Games championships occupy in Irish life. However, given the current epidemiological situation with the disease, which requires the minimisation of both travel and contacts to prevent the spread of the virus, not every competition, team or grade in the sports concerned can be accommodated.

In normal circumstances, in certain competitions, counties enter teams at different ability levels, but this year, recognising that we are dealing with a global pandemic, this exemption only applies to each county fielding just one team in the All-Ireland competitions for each code – camogie, hurling, gaelic football and ladies gaelic football. This requirement means that no county team can play in two competitions nor can counties field a second team in another division or branch of an All-Ireland competition structure. During the Level 5 restrictions, there can be no scheduled matches other than those that form part of the All-Ireland competition and there can be no practice or training matches other than between players on the panel that form part of the existing team training structure. Once teams are eliminated from the competitions they must thereafter cancel all training sessions.

The exemption approved by Government applies to a very small number of sports and is also designed to limit the number of teams that will be participating in Gaelic Games competitions. Within the confines of the available exemption, it is a matter for the national governing bodies concerned and their constituent county boards to decide on the actual teams to represent their counties in the championships.

The Government has reaffirmed to the Gaelic games associations the importance of all participating teams adhering fully to all relevant public health guidance and the return to play protocols developed earlier this year, at their matches and training sessions.