Tanaiste Leo Varadkar has said that the GAA's inter-county All-Ireland Championships will not go ahead if Ireland moves to Level 5 Covid-19 restrictions.
It had appeared that elite sports such as inter-county Gaelic games would be exempt from Level 5's ban on sport - as is currently the case nationwide at lower restriction levels.
A letter sent from the Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan to Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly last week outlined that elite sport could continue if Level 5 was enforced.
However, the Tanaiste told Matt Cooper on Today FM this evening that Level 5 would signal an end to the hurling and football Championships.
Basketball Ireland tonight announced that their National League season has been halted with immediate effect following a meeting of the Sport Expert Group - which confirmed that last night’s new restrictions mean no senior basketball competitions are now permitted in Level 3.
Inter-county GAA, however, is still set to resume this weekend. But Covid cases have disrupted the preparations of a number of counties ahead of its resumption following a seven-month suspension.
Varadkar believes county matches can resume safely but admits the situation is precarious.
"I think ultimately that is going to be a decision for the GAA, they are the right ones to make it," the Tanaiste told The Last Word on Today FM.
"I do think it is feasible for inter county elite sport to continue. We see international competitions for example continue and I wouldn’t like to see Irish teams or Irish athletes having to pull out of international competitions.
"But it is difficult for the GAA in particular because they are amateur athletes, they can't be bubbled and cocooned in the way that Premiership players can be or even provincial rugby players can be. But it can be done. And it obviously has to be done with no spectators."
The GAA has yet to respond to Varadkar's comments on the situation this evening.
