GAA President Joe McDonagh has elaborated on recent reports that referees are to wear sponsorship on their jerseys. Apparently anxious that this has created a false impression in relation to existing sponsors, he stated: "Approaches have been made on the matter, but this is a much wider issue and has serious consequences for a number of our leading marketing partners. It will be considered at a later date, but no definite decisions have been taken yet."

McDonagh issued this aside at a briefing to announce details of the GAA's special club weekend, coming up in the next few days. It gets underway on Friday with the All-Ireland club finals at Croke Park. The following day, the Club Forum will be hosted also at headquarters.

Modelled on the successful Women's Forum, held at the end of January, the club event is intended to provide club delegates with the opportunity to meet full-time personnel working in Croke Park and be brought up to date on the ground re-development and specific areas of activity.

"It will be an opportunity to affirm the club as the bedrock of the association," said McDonagh. "I have seen throughout my presidency the enormous achievement of our clubs planning ahead. Sometimes we become complacent in our ivory tower and this is an opportunity to show Croke Park to our ordinary members.

"Sunday has been designated for club activity and we have suggested a range of activities such as under-age coaching, recruitment etcetera."

President-elect Sean McCague added: "We would like members to get a sense of belonging to the whole organisation including here at Croke Park, a sense of belonging for members who haven't been to the New Stand and corporate levels."

Also launched was the Plan for the Irish Language in the New Millennium, drawn up by the association's Irish Committee.

Commenting on the proposals, McDonagh said: "The GAA has no desire to take sole possession of the language as an organisation. We would like to lend strong support to others' work on the ground and give tangible recognition to organisations engaged in promoting the language."

It is proposed that a new structure be created to strengthen the language through the co-operation of the GAA, the Irish language organisations under the auspices of Glor an nGael, the Irish Government and the new political structures in Northern Ireland. An additional £5,000,000 should be invested annually in Irish language-based community development, which should be given priority in EU development programmes. To implement these proposals, a working group is to be established under the auspices of Coiste na Gaeilge.