Former President Dr Mary McAleese and GAA President Jarlath Burns have clashed over the future of integration at the GAA.
Dr McAleese resigned as chairperson of a committee overseeing the amalgamation of the GAA, ladies football and camogie on Tuesday after the GAA told the group it could not commit to a definitive timeline for integration.
GAA President Jarlath Burns told the News at One he is “still absolutely committed to integration” but suggested the stalling of integration was due to financial concerns at the top level of Gaelic games in equally funding male and female teams.
Journalist and former camogie player Sinéad O’Carroll told Behind the Story she believes the issue is about more than sport.
“This really is a story about money and power,” she said.
“There’s a significant amount of State funding here as well – €13.1m in 2025.
“State funding generally now is predicated on the fact that it is disbursed without fear or favour on gender grounds.
“So, this is a money and power story.”
‘Equality of access’
Ms O’Carroll said the GAA went to Dr McAleese in September 2022, “which was kind of a sign of their commitment, I think, to it at that point.”
She said the issue “slowed down” in the intervening years, despite being told work was ongoing with a 2027 deadline.
“It still felt Mary McAleese was keeping it on track because every single time she went into a committee to talk about it, she would say it was on track – and I think that’s part of why she’s so angry today.
“She represented a position that she now doubts.”
Ms O’Carroll said integration is not about a pressing “big red button” where every club is on the same financial footing, but rather about “equality of access to facilities and the rights of every other member there, regardless of gender”.
She believes if integration does not move ahead now “after four years of intensive work by Mary McAleese… it won’t be done”.
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