The ongoing absence of “basic risk management and controls” at GAA club grounds has cost the association €15m in personal injury claims over the past five years. Of the €15m paid out over the past five years, €10m relates to non-GAA activity such as a claimant sustaining an injury while playing five-a-side soccer on GAA property. The ability of GAA clubs to defend claims taken against them has been “historically limited” due to a lack of record keeping and available documentation. Costs could rise furtherThe €3m annual cost of personal injury claims is in danger of further increasing as GAA units continue to move towards community-based organisations by developing walkways and encouraging more members of the public onto their grounds. “The highest number of personal injury claims pursued continue to arise from claims which could have been avoided or minimised if clubs and counties had adopted very basic risk management and controls,” he noted.

Source: Irish Examiner January 13, 2026 17:30 UTC