PIC: GPA reveal plan to build centre of excellence called ‘The Institute’

This is ambitious and bold from the GAA players' body

Players and managers are getting a chance to digest the GPA annual report which was published earlier today. The GAA players representative body revealed various facts and figures such as 390 players undergoing cardiac screening and 117 availed of personal counselling. As well as that CEO Dessie Farrell also revealed that the body are looking to develop a centre of excellence in the coming years called 'The Institute' Farrell, in his chairman's address outlined the thinking behind the idea, 'One of the most ambitious plans being developed by the GPA at the moment is the creation of a world-class institute dedicated to the personal development of athletes; a purpose-built facility to house our programmes and to create an efficient, concentrated environment for county players where all GPA activities can be included.' The building will become the new corporate offices for the GPA as well as housing a health and well-being centre, a research hub and a social responsibility centre. The report says that the GPA can either find a stand-alone site or else tie in with a sports campus already in operation. 'Whether this centre is constructed as a stand-alone, state of-the art building or co-located on an educational, sporting or business campus is still being assessed but we hope that this ambitious project will progress from the concept stage in 2015'. The facility will put significant costs on the association with the association's annual expenditure likely to increase from €3.3 million to a whopping €7million. The full GPA report is available here