Communications Policy

Communication Procedures Charter

Ladies Gaelic Football Association – Clubs, Counties and Provinces

 

1. Purpose

This Charter sets out the procedures, standards, roles and protocols governing how Ladies Gaelic Football Clubs, County Boards and Provincial Councils communicate with:

• Members (players, volunteers, officials)
• Affiliated Clubs
• County Boards
• Provincial Councils
• LGFA National Office

Its purpose is to ensure communication is clear, respectful, timely, accurate, consistent and aligned with LGFA values and governance structures.

 

2. Principles of Communication

All communication shall be guided by the following principles:

1. Clarity – Information must be easy to understand and unambiguous.
2. Accuracy – Communications must be factually correct and authorised.
3. Timeliness – Information must be issued within appropriate timeframes.
4. Consistency – Messages must align with LGFA rules, policies and prior communications.
5. Respect – Communication must be courteous, professional and inclusive.
6. Appropriateness – Information should be shared only with relevant parties.
7. Two-way engagement – Mechanisms for feedback and clarification should be provided where appropriate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Roles and Responsibilities

 

Officers Role	Communication Responsibilities
Chairperson/President	Strategic messaging, representation, oversight and approval of official correspondence where required
Secretary	Primary officer for official correspondence, notices, reports, minutes and record-keeping
PRO	External and internal communications via media, website, newsletters and social media
Treasurer / Registrar	Financial and membership communications
Committee Chairs	Communications relevant to their functional remit

Only authorised officers may issue communications on behalf of the Unit.

 

4. Official Correspondence Protocols

4.1 Communication with Clubs

• All formal correspondence to Clubs must issue through the County Secretary, Provincial Secretary/Administrator or authorised officer.
• Communications must clearly state:
  • Sender name and role
  • Subject and purpose
  • Required action and deadline (if applicable)

4.2 Communication with County Boards, Provincial Councils and National Office

• Official correspondence must be issued by the Club/County Secretary or authorised officer only.
• All correspondence should reference relevant rules, decisions, or previous communications where applicable.
• Escalation of matters must follow formal LGFA structures and procedures.

4.3 Communication with Members

• Member communications must be relevant, appropriate and compliant with data protection requirements.
• Official Club/County/Province platforms should be used at all times.

 

5. Respectful and Appropriate Communication

5.1 Respectful Communication Standards

All communications issued by or on behalf of the Club/County Board/Province must be:

• Courteous, professional and measured in tone
• Focused on issues, processes and outcomes — not individuals
• Free from inflammatory, emotive, accusatory or personal language
• Aligned with LGFA values and the voluntary ethos of the Association

Disagreements or disputes must be handled through formal governance channels and not through informal, confrontational or inappropriate correspondence.

 

5.2 Limitation of Correspondence to Relevant Parties

Club/County Board/Provincial Council correspondence must be shared only with those parties who have a direct role, responsibility, or requirement to be informed.

Accordingly:

• Individuals, clubs, committees, county boards, provincial councils or national bodies must not be included in correspondence unless directly involved.
• Copying additional parties “for information”, leverage or pressure is not permitted. This includes any sponsors or external stakeholders.
• Sensitive matters (disciplinary, governance, personnel, complaints, safeguarding) must be communicated strictly on a need-to-know basis and in line with LGFA rules and confidentiality requirements.

Where escalation is required, this must occur through established LGFA reporting, appeals or disciplinary pathways, not through broad circulation of correspondence.

 

5.3 Use of Email and Digital Platforms

• Officers must use email, messaging platforms and digital tools responsibly.
• Use of ‘reply all’, forwarding and copying must be necessary, to the relevant parties, appropriate and exercised with care.
• Personal email accounts or messaging apps must not be used for official or sensitive Club/County Board/Provincial Council business unless explicitly authorised.

 

 

6. Feedback and Query Management

• All external queries should be acknowledged within five working days.
• A designated system or inbox should be used to log correspondence and responses.

 

7. Crisis and Emergency Communication

In urgent situations:

1. Messaging must be agreed by the Chairperson/President, Secretary and PRO.
2. The fastest appropriate channels must be used.
3. Follow-up formal communication must issue where required.

 

8. Monitoring, Review and Compliance

• Communication practices will be reviewed annually by the County Board Executive.
• Failure to adhere to this Charter — including disrespectful communication or inappropriate inclusion of parties — may be treated as a governance or conduct matter and addressed in accordance with LGFA rules.

 

9. Adoption and Review

This Charter shall be:

• Adopted by the Club/County Board/Provincial Council Executive
• Reviewed annually or when required due to LGFA rule or policy changes

 

Adopted by LGFA Central Council on 3^rd June 2026.

All units to adopt at an upcoming meeting prior to 31^st July.

---