Statement read to the Meeting of Central Council by Tom Ryan Ard Stiurthoir CLG on the 29th of June 2109.

The GAA greatly regrets any reputational impacts suffered by members of the Steering Committee of Pairc Ui Chaoimh Stadium and the Pairc Ui Chaoimh project itself arising from an interview with Mr Peter McKenna in the Irish Examiner, published on December 14th last year.The article and its timing were ill-advised given that negotiations with a number of contractors on the project were not finalized.Elements of the article were premature and incorrect and regrettably created an extremely negative view of the stadium project and cast a cloud over what was an outstanding achievement by all involved. The resulting public and media criticism of those involved in developing the stadium, the members of the Steering Committee, and Bob Ryan who chaired 

that committee and who subsequently acted as the stadium’s Operations Manager for a period, was an unfortunate and undeserved consequence of the incorrect and premature nature of the comments made in the interview. 

On behalf of the Gaelic Athletic Association I would like to sincerely thank Bob Ryan for his outstanding contribution to the Pairc Ui Chaoimh project.