Jim Bolger: “Conduct an in-depth review of the 'impact of the intercounty game' at present relative to the significant unsustainable costs and more importantly the cost to our players. We now know they are dedicating in excess of 31 hours per week to their 'hobby', which is also unsustainable. The provision of a ‘shared service model‘ of volunteer support at both club and county level (as initiated by Leinster GAA).

Typical support examples include child protection, data protection, health and safety, finances, marketing, etc. Enhance ‘Risk Management’ mechanisms throughout the entire association, which will enhance our overall reputation.”

Jarlath Burns: “First, I would seek to reduce the amount of county finance that is currently being spent on the preparation of county teams. This is going to be a challenge, but we cannot continue as we are going and it has to begin with the full implementation of the excellent Talent Academy Review Report.

"Second, I would undertake a strategic review of the GAA and produce a 10-year plan for sustainability within the framework of modern Ireland.

"I feel this work is crucial given the profound changes that have occurred in the past 20 years. I would also want to assist clubs as they grapple with the reality of having fewer people on the ground as demographics continue to shift within Ireland.”

Larry McCarthy: “Continue to grow and develop the GAA around the world. This entails supporting each of the administrative units in their plans. For instance, supporting Waterford with the development of Walsh Park, or the Australasian Board with administrative assistance, so each unit can continue to evolve and grow as it sees fit.”

Jerry O’Sullivan: “My primary objective as Uachtarán would be to ensure that CLG remains an organisation that values all its members - past, present and future.

"All roles and contributions are respected, valued and appreciated equally. All units have the power to institute change or improvements through the recognised channels. (May seem slow at times but can be done).

"I have no problem with different views and opinions but I would wish that consensus could be achieved in a spirit of cooperation and goodwill rather than friction and confrontation.

"This is far more desirable. CLG will continue to expand worldwide and we will continue to foster good relations with Camogie and LGFA.

Mick Rock: “The greatest challenge facing the GAA in the decade ahead is to redress the imbalance that has developed between the club and intercounty activity. The status and relevance of clubs need to be restored as they underpin our core values of volunteerism and community identity.

"The increasingly demanding levels of preparation of intercounty teams and their associated costs are becoming incompatible with our amateur ethos and are negatively impacting on other areas of our Association.

"Addressing this would be my overriding objective which, as a consequence, would afford more space to club activity and allow us to focus more on the many and less on the few.”

Q: How do you intend striking more of a balance between the club and county scene?

Jim Bolger: “Once again through volunteer support so as to ensure that the club becomes more relevant as the club and county must remain connected.

"There is a potential to lose these very important cogs in our association if we do not value, cherish and support our volunteers. This connection is presently under threat through the seemingly blind march to elitism.

"The proposed review of the 'impact of the inter-county game' will serve to inform us on this. This review will include the role of the Bainisteoir and the ever-expanding wider management team.”

Jarlath Burns: “The balance between club and county has been addressed eloquently and comprehensively in the latest Task Force Review of Fixtures. I would add my own opinion to this, however. The GAA is unique in that we have our county fixtures, but around this we have each of our counties who create league and championship fixtures also. And there are barely two counties that have the same format.

"This makes it almost impossible to create a fixtures programme that can suit everyone. Within this scenario, there is no solution, only a compromise. I feel the answer lies in the GAA producing a Master Fixtures programme based on a particular club league and championship format, which will suit the weekends for club activity allowed within the plan.”

Larry McCarthy: “The Fixtures Review Committee has suggested a number of changes in schedules. One identifies five weekends, in the months of June, July and August, which would be for club games only. This will give certainty of fixture, as is right, during the better months of the year, and will reduce some of the tension that exists between club and county fixtures. In addition, there are times earlier, and later, in the year which are designated as club-only weekends.”

Jerry O’Sullivan: “In the main, club players understand and accept the effects of having inter-county colleagues and willingly tolerate the possible consequences. I think the recently-published Fixtures Review Taskforce report has some very worthwhile proposals, recommendations and suggestions, which will be discussed and debated in the coming months.

"A fixture analyst in each province to assist counties in planning, ensuring more access to inter-county players, ensuring all dates are utilised, and with the power to impose sanctions for breaches is a big step in the right direction.

"Furthermore, the recommendation that senior and intermediate championships be limited to a maximum of 16 teams is sensible. The mantra remains: definite dates.”

Mick Rock: “The imbalance between club and county has increased exponentially in recent years resulting in understandable frustration and demoralization for club officers and players in terms of fixtures, publicity and even status of club activity.

"A number of significant adjustments have been made to the fixtures calendar and the current proposals have the potential to provide some further space for clubs.

"Ultimately, a shorter county season would not only provide intercounty players with some respite, but would afford clubs something approaching parity of esteem.

On the broader club question, in my role as chairman of the National Club committee, I have become convinced that a dedicated club department in Croke Park is necessary to provide a more coordinated and streamlined ‘hands-on’ service to clubs.

Q: You are a long-standing GAA volunteer but do the increasing commitments on volunteers concern you?

Jim Bolger: “Firstly, I am very encouraged with the calibre of our volunteers. While we have a very good training programme for officers, we need to start to align it to what they need rather than what we want them to do. We need to ask and listen to them relative to what they want to learn and provide experts to train them.

"The world is more conscious than ever of governance and we need to translate good governance-speak into how we can follow best practice rather than just telling volunteers that they must be compliant. We must provide user-friendly guidelines also.”

Jarlath Burns: “I am currently travelling around counties and listening to senior county officers about their workload. Many of them are full-time volunteers. Our current model of governance was fine 50 years ago when we were a smaller organisation, but it is not sustainable for the future.

"At club level, as secretary of my own club, I feel that technology has assisted us greatly in how to do our job and has made it easier to communicate with members, do reports and undertake the functions of that position, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to get the correct people into these roles in many clubs because of the time demands faced by people in Ireland today.”

Larry McCarthy: “The ESRI has identified that volunteering has decreased across all sectors of society in recent years. Sport is not immune from that decrease so we need to be concerned about it.

"Providing appropriate training and assisting volunteers meet their statutory obligations in an efficient and effective manner is a way of managing the burden that is being placed on volunteers.

"There are many excellent volunteers who seem to be happy to contribute to their clubs, but not to take a role beyond the club. Motivating volunteers to contribute outside of their own club seems to be a particular challenge.”

Jerry O’Sullivan: “The ever-increasing demands on all involved in CLG is most acutely felt by volunteers on the ground. Many are ‘cajoled’ into accepting positions for which they lack experience and for which are often ill-equipped. CLG has committed huge resources to make training courses available at county, provincial and national level.

"Highly-qualified and highly-skilled and experienced individuals have been providing these courses for many years but in many cases the uptake has been relatively poor. Advice and information is also available at the end of a phone or by email from county, provincial and Croke Park personnel.

"The existence of social media often undermines the spirit of our volunteers but this is best ignored as ill-informed and ignorant comment.”

Mick Rock: “When we conducted our club survey a year ago, recruiting volunteers was identified as the major challenge facing clubs, so of course I share that concern. Volunteerism must remain as a core value of the GAA as it is a defining feature of who we are.

"Certainly modern family and work commitments reduce the time available to volunteers and increased regulations for sporting bodies makes volunteering more challenging and, at first sight, less attractive.

"More supports and training and greater spreading of the load, as well as showing appreciation to our volunteers, are measures needed to continue to attract sufficient recruits. If properly valued, volunteering can still be a very fulfilling experience in terms of enjoyment and personal development.”

Q: What can be done to stem the number of players leaving inter-county panels?

Jim Bolger: “This is not a new phenomenon - players have always left panels. However, the apparent increased trend may reflect on our current governance practices.

"Appropriate structures to address this have never been more important. Players will thrive in an environment where they fully understand that they are playing at the highest level and what that entails without losing the love of the game and that balance is critical.

"Player welfare is the key here, I believe, and there is room for improvement in this regard.”

Jarlath Burns: “I believe that due to the continuing demands on county players, this is becoming a bigger challenge, but if we are serious about the amateur status, we have to protect it in a more robust manner. County teams are training too often and for too great a part of the year.

"It is wrong to blame any particular group of people for this because high expectations and the competitive nature of the game make this scenario inevitable. I believe the GPA need to take a far greater role through their Player Welfare obligation, to insist that county training is not excessive. We should also welcome the fact that many players are choosing club before county.”

Larry McCarthy: “The reasons why players leave county panels are many and varied. Professional reasons, education commitments, family reasons, personal relations, desire to travel, realisation that they are not going to make the team, and so it is difficult to suggest one strategy that might prevent players from leaving inter-county panels.

The use of the word ‘stem’ would appear to suggest that there are many players leaving, I would like to see the data for the last three to five years to discern if there has been a recent significant rise in the number. The data would inform the response.

Jerry O’Sullivan: “As our players are amateurs, I don’t believe we have the right to stop them leaving inter-county panels. The wish to travel has become more prevalent and if that is the reason for leaving the club often loses out as well. I know they would be welcomed back with open arms in both cases. I have no doubt there are many reasons why players leave panels but maybe the demands of the modern game have become too much for some of them.

"Lifestyles are being dictated to and this impacts on the player and his family. It is sport and sport is meant to be enjoyed. I think players are happy to make reasonable sacrifices for training and preparation to the highest standards and to play regular games.”

Mick Rock: “A certain turn-over year on year is natural and inevitable but the alarming increase in drop-out in recent years is a reflection on the increased demands being made on county players. In the recent ESRI report, players clearly indicated that they wanted a shorter season, less weekly time commitments and to get more enjoyment from their inter-county experience.

"Bringing this about would not only be in players’ interests but would greatly benefit the Association as a whole. Providing players with a reasonable prospect of occasional success would also enhance their enjoyment and encourage continued participation in less successful counties where the fall-off is greatest.”

Q: Why should delegates vote for you on February 29?

Jim Bolger: “Delegates should vote for me as the experience gained from having served the organisation at all levels gives me a clear understanding of the requirements from ground level through to top level. Through the years, I developed a 'skill-set' to be an effective leader and am best placed to influence change and develop the GAA into a forward-thinking organisation.

"The GAA is about people and all who know me know I am first and foremost a people person. As a volunteer, I give to our association and I would savour the opportunity to give even more in the esteemed position of Uachtarán.”

Jarlath Burns: “As the youngest of the candidates, I feel I have the energy and vision to drive the association into an exciting new era of development, improvement and efficiency.

"I have played at the highest level and have a strong understanding of the games, having chaired the Standing Committee on Playing Rules.

"I have also served as a chair on many other national committees. However, it is my experience as a player, former chair and currently secretary of my club Silverbridge that I feel gives me the greatest credentials for this post.

"If rural Ireland is under threat, then our clubs are also under threat. I would seek to support clubs throughout Ireland to ensure they can continue to keep the GAA flame alive ar fud na tíre.”

Larry McCarthy: “I bring a sport management perspective to the role because of my professional background, which is lecturing in a school of business, where I teach in the area of sport management, particularly sport marketing.

"I also understand and appreciate the cultural importance of CLG to the nation, its diaspora, and those who have joined the organisation for the sheer joy of its games. I am unique!

I am the first All-Ireland Club Football Championship medal winner to run for the position; the first candidate who worked for the Olympics; and, if I am elected, I will be the first President who will move to Ireland specifically to fulfill the role.

Jerry O’Sullivan: “The reason I have put my name forward is that I feel I have great experience of all aspects of Cumann Lúthchleas Gael from playing (dual player), selecting, managing, administration at all levels and of learning from outstanding people during that time. I would hope to use all that experience for the benefit of Cumann Lúthchleas Gael.”

Mick Rock: “I have a lifetime of experience of every facet of the organisation, from deep involvement in my club as a player, officer and coach, fulfilling a wide range of officer roles at county, provincial and national level and being involved in many successful projects at each level.

"My cultural credentials are evidenced by my lifetime involvement in promotion of Scor at every level.

"Outside of the GAA, I have been a leader as Principal of my local school and the driver of many community projects. I have a clear vision of what I want to achieve as President, refocusing on our core values and beliefs and I possess the necessary skills of communication and persuasion to achieve them.”