"Very important decisions" for the GAA in the next few weeks - Tom Ryan

The GAA's Ard Stiúrthóir Tom Ryan says their advisory group are working on a roadmap for the re-opening of grounds and return of matches.

Ryan says there are some "very important decisions ahead" and that safety is the "over-riding concern" when deciding when games can resume.

"It's very important for us to have people of that expertise available to us and we're very grateful to them because our key undertaking is running football and hurling. There are some very important decisions ahead for us and it's not our daily sphere and we need assistance. It's very, very important we embark upon it in the right way.

"It's very, very important we're cognisant all the time of the health of our members and our patrons and our spectators, that's the over-riding concern in all of this. That group is going to guide us through that process and that group is going to set out a roadmap for us so that when the time is right and the environment is correct we can make sure the GAA resumes its pre-eminent place in Irish sport and Irish society.

He added that guidelines on the re-opening of facilities will be worked out in the coming weeks.

"GAA clubs are part of communities everywhere all around the country so in almost every case they're more than just football and hurling pitches. The committee rooms are used by all manner of organisations and friends of the Association. Pitches are used for people for all manner of things, whether it be going for a walk or just going for a puck around or whatever.

"That's important. And it's important that we get back to using our facilities for those purposes as well. But it has to be done in a controlled way. And it has to be done in a safe way. The over-riding thing all the time is safety.

"That little group is going to help us with regard to how we might tackle that and how we might embark upon that. That very definitely will be part of the little roadmap that we'll map out for the Association and for clubs over the course of the next few weeks."