GAA President announces 32 new committees
GAA President Liam O'Neill has announced his new committees to oversee areas such as games adminstration, discipline, hurling and football development, referees, finance, youth and playing rules.
The Laois native revealed the bulk of his committees at a press event this afternoon in Croke Park, with a total of 32 committees established.
Outlining the ground-breaking nature of the committees, O'Neill said: "We have 32 committees, with 19 who have chairpersons who have never been chairpersons before.
"By the time all committees are established we will have 40 females on our committees - a bigger number than ever before.
"I said I would bring in new people, younger people, fresher people and I always knew that when you do that you automatically bring in females.
"I think every single person on these committees has a contribution to make. It's something approaching 250 people and just one person who was approached had a difficulty as they were unable to come.
"Nobody who was asked was unwilling to serve and I think that shows absolutely huge committment and gives us great confidence that people are willing to volunteer and willing to get involved at central level and make some sort of impact for the organisation.
"All of those people will be worked very, very hard. People don't really understand what happens. Every single person and every single committee has a definite purpose."
One of those set to chair a committee for the first time is former Monaghan referee Pat McEnaney who will be the chairperson of the new National Referees Committee.
"The role of this committee will be for the development of refereeing," explained O'Neill. "We didn't pick Pat McEnaney by accident, he is somebody who has a huge record in refereeing and an attitude to refereeing that is really positive.
"He is probably one of the most positive people you would meet. Dickie (Murphy) always had a similar attitude to refereeing and the fact that he is on the referees appointments committee gives huge experience as well.
"We'll be looking at ways of recruiting new referees and training them and equipping them and maybe categorising the rules for them so it is easier to referee."
Aidan Shiels, Kevin Walsh, Michael Monaghan, Tiernach Mahon, Willie Barrett, Gerry Kinneavy, Mick McGrath and Pat Doherty are the other members of the National Referees Committee.
Other key appointees include Munster's Simon Moroney as chairman of the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) and Garrett O'Reilly as chairman of the Central Hearings Committee (CHC).
Liam Keane is now the chairman of the Central Appeals Committee (CAC) and former Ulster Council chairman Tom Daly is chair of International Operations.
Tommy Lanigan will be chairman of the Hurling Development work group, while Offaly's 1982 All-Ireland SFC winning manager, Eugene McGee, is set to be appointed chairman of a Football Review committee which will be established in the coming months.
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