This initiative is designed to further streamline administration and to facilitate the implementation of additional structures at county level.

Already Tyrone and Armagh are served by full-time officials in Dominic McCaughey and Patrick Og Nugent while Sean Og McAteer has just taken up his position as Down secretary.

Over the course of the coming weeks, Donegal and Antrim are expected to confirm appointments while Cavan and Fermanagh are understood to be at the processing stage just now.

Progress has not been as rapid in Monaghan, though, while it would appear that Derry will retain its status quo rather than make a new appointment at this point in time.

It is expected that when next year's competitions get under way there will be "seven or eight full-time secretaries in situ," according to an Ulster Council spokesman.

The new appointees will in most cases succeed the county administration managers who were appointed some time ago to help shoulder what was proving an increasing work-load for the then part-time voluntary secretaries.

Since then, of course, the GAA in Ulster has expanded considerably at grassroots level, particularly in areas such as coaching, marketing, under-age development, competitions, facilities and sponsorship.

Funding from Croke Park will be provided to assist with the project and although the appointment of full-time secretaries forms part of national policy, the current provincial secretaries will have an input into the overall administration of the new set-up.

Indeed, the provincial secretaries themselves have had their portfolios enhanced and now meet weekly with Director General Paraic Duffy (above) at Croke Park.

The decision to appoint full-time paid county secretaries follows the increase in the number of full-time coaching officers and other staff and reflects the tremendous strides which the GAA has made, particularly over the last five years.

Only this week it was revealed that Ulster Council chairman Tom Daly will lead a misssion to Philadelphia where the Belfast Cuchullains, believed to be the first young cross-community hurling side from the city, will participate in the International Games.

And the Ulster Council has stepped up its efforts to bring members of ethnic minorities into the GAA fold with members of its professional staff working particularly hard in this sphere.

With most of the major venues in the province now fully floodlit and a substantial number of clubs prepaing to open extensions to their existing facilities in the coming months, the entire infrastructure of the Association has undergone a transformation.