Former president of Ireland Mary McAleese has stepped down as chairperson of the group overseeing the planned integration of the three Gaelic associations.
McAleese was appointed independent chair of the Steering Group on Integration (SGI) in September 2022, tasked with overseeing the process of establishing a new governing body for Gaelic games, bringing together the GAA, Camogie Association and LGFA.
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In 2024, the SGI announced 2027 as the proposed date for full integration, however, concerns have since been raised over the timeline for the merger.
At a meeting of the GAA’s managing committee last December, officials expressed the view that 2027 “represents an unrealistic target for full and complete integration”.
According to reports from RTÉ, McAleese’s decision to step down comes after the GAA said it could not commit to the SGI’s timeline for integration, seeking to pause and reconsider the approach.