Finances look set to dominate the county convention
Pat Grant and Tom Cunningham are set to battle it out for Central GAA council seat at the county convention.
On receiving first sight of the County Convention agenda and booklet yesterday one could not fail to be impressed by the detailed reports of each committee operating under the remit of CLCG Port Lairge in the over one hundred page document. Few other sporting organisations are as transparent in outlining operational details as the GAA when it comes to convention time each year.
The Convention gets under way in Lawlor’s Hotel, Dungarvan at 7 pm on Thursday next. There is much material in the various reports to provoke reaction and discussion by delegates particularly in Pat Flynn’s detailed report on all aspects of the board’s activities over the past year on and off the field of play from the reopening of Walsh Park for the Munster Senior Hurling Championship to the failure our county teams to advance as Munster title contenders. One suspects, however, that the main focus of delegates will be on the Financial Report being set before the meeting by the board auditors.
The Auditors Report is long and detailed but the bottom line certain to cause the concern of delegates is the deficit for the year’s operations of €164K as opposed to a surplus of €372.8K the previous year. It is clear that were it not for the House Draw last year’s accounts would have shown a similar deficit. The cost of financing all of our county teams alone has spiraled to as much as €1.3 million despite previous warnings that such costs are unsustainable.
The reports in the past week that the Revenue Commissioners are set to carry out an audit on selected County Boards will have been well noted by all.
In the normal course of Convention there is nothing sensational on the agenda. Outgoing chairman Sean O’Regan vacates his position at the end of his five year term and, having moved on to the position of Chairman of Croke Park’s National Infrastructure Committee, is expected to be Waterford’s nominee for Vice Chairman of the Munster Council. Thursday’s Convention will see Vice Chairman Neil Moore of Abbeyside/Ballinacourty installed as Chairman unopposed with Brendan Tobin (Sliabh gCua/St Marys) moving from his position as Central Council delegate to that of Vice Chairman. The only contest on the agenda sees former County Chairman Tom Cunningham (Stradbally) and Pat Grant of Fourmilewater/Nire contesting the prestigious position of Central Council delegate. Elsewhere, there is little change on the County Executive with outgoing officers being returned unopposed.
There are eight motions listed for discussion seven of which are posted by the County Executive and referring to clarifications needed to existing rules resulting from the decision to return the minor championships to U-18 for the coming year and dealing with gradings and eligibility of underage players for senior participation as well as updating on transfer procedures. It is likely they will all be passed without much discussion.
Only one club saw fit to submit a motion and that was Fenor who seek to have the grading rule reverted to its former status in that any player playing in a higher championship grade shall be ineligible to return to a lower grade at any time. The motion stems from Fenor’s grievance at having had to play a senior club in knockout championship prior to that club having played a knockout senior game which enabled that club to field players who had previously participated in Senior Group Championship games. The motion is likely to be ruled out but Fenor, and other Junior and Intermediate clubs would want lower grade knockout games to take place after the first rounds in higher grades, particularly senior championship games.
