GAA president Joe McDonagh has admitted that referees are not receiving full support for taking hard decisions in important matches.

He was speaking at the launch of a major initiative by the National Referees' Committee in Croke Park yesterday. "There were occasions when referees did not receive the due support they should have from the relevant units," said McDonagh.

He also expressed the hope that the NRC would soon be elevated to the status of a GAA central committee in order to recognise its importance (currently it is a sub-committee). He also said that presiding at yesterday's launch was "one of the most satisfying days of my presidency".

It was one of the first acts of McDonagh's presidency to constitute the NRC back in May 1997. Having reported a year later to the GAA's Management Committee and Central Council, the NRC has now formulated a plan of action to meet the requirements of that report.

Paddy Collins, chairman, outlined the aims of the plan: to recruit more referees and ensure a consistent line of authority on interpretation and application of the rules from the national committee through to the committees established in each county.

Already nine national referee tutors have been selected and trained. Their task will be to train two tutors for each of the 32 counties and they in turn will be responsible for training referees within their respective counties.

Included amongst the nine national tutors are Dublin referees' registrar Aidan Shiels, Radio Kerry broadcaster and former county footballer Weeshie Fogarty, Leitrim county secretary Tommy Moran and Antrim's John Gough who sent off four players in the infamous 1983 All-Ireland football final between Dublin and Galway.

The county tutors are being currently trained and they commence their duties next February. The NRC has also prepared a range of materials designed to assist in the recruitment and training of referees.

This initiative comes against a backdrop of great difficulties for refereeing with a host of controversies plaguing match officials this year and statistics which show that 16 counties recruited less than 10 referees last year and nine, less than 20.

In relation to a number of ancillary matters, Collins said that whereas the NRC had considered them, no definite action had been taken. These included the use of video technology, the deployment of a timekeeper in order to remove that burden from the referee and the wiring-up of referees as has become the practice in rugby union.

The immediate use of video was informally discussed and apparently received the approval of two thirds of the committee but no further action was taken. According to Collins, the NRC has "a very open mind about any aids that the GAA might think would benefit communication for referees in football and hurling".

For the time being, the implementation of such technological advances are being left in the hands of the Hurling Development Committee, its football equivalent and the Coaching and Games Development Committee.

In relation to the appointment of a spokesperson for referees who are forbidden to discuss matches at which they have officiated, no action has been taken.

McDonagh pointed out that Paddy Collins had made himself available in the wake of controversies earlier this year and it was also pointed out that if referees had to undergo questioning after matches, it could have an impact on their match reports.

TG4 will broadcast Sunday's Leinster club semi-final between Dublin champions Na Fianna and Portlaoise live as part of the station's programme of exclusive live TV coverage of the club championships. The match is in Newbridge with a 2.30 throw in.