GAA, IRFU & FAI remain below Government target for female board members

The three biggest sporting organisations in the country have yet to meet the recommended target of female representation on the boards of funded National Governing Bodies of Sport.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) recently failed to pass a vote that would have reached the 40% target for the board, while the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) are also currently below the recommended target.

There are currently three (19%) female board members on the 19-person GAA board, while there are nine (33%) out of 27 on the rugby equivalent. The FAI remains at 36% with four females on the board of 11.

On Friday afternoon, Sport Ireland published the latest snapshot of female representation on the boards of funded National Governing Bodies of Sport and Local Sports Partnerships and other funded bodies.

And while politicians have welcomed the publication which shows that for the first time, there is female representation on the board of every funded sporting organisation in the country, there is still quite a way to go for others, as 23 boards have not met the 40% target with four of these having less than 20% female representation.

As previously stated by Minister of State, Thomas Byrne TD, sporting bodies that do not reach the 40% target by the end of the year will have their state funding cut by up to 50%.

At the GAA's recent Special Congress, a motion was passed to achieve and maintain a gender balance in the membership of its Management Committee with a minimum of 40% female or male representation.

The IRFU has also committed to achieving the 40% target by the end of 2023.

The general assembly of the FAI, however, recently voted against a proposed constitutional change to allow two