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Total Financial Transparency Immediately Necessary To Keep The GAA Great.

  • 26-12-2015 6:01pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,073 ✭✭✭


    Total Financial Transparency Immediately Necessary To Keep The GAA The Great Organisation that it is.

    We have a great association in the GAA, and to keep it great what is urgently required is total financial transparency from the bottom up i.e. from Club Level all the way at all levels to Croke Park.

    All clubs, County Boards, Provincial Boards, Divisional Boards etc. should be obliged to publish their Annual Financial Report on their websites.

    The Forum on Spirituality has been closed for years. Please bring it back, there are lots of Spiritual people in Ireland and elsewhere.



«1

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,952 ✭✭✭✭Stoner


    Could you make a more convincing argument?
    why is it urgently needed, why will it keep it great?

    Over and above satisfying a curiosity what benefits would it bring to the game.

    Is this driven by the IFA, FAI, FIFA ?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 979 ✭✭✭Green Peter


    Ah! Sure we'll just wait for the scandal so, typical Ireland!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,073 ✭✭✭Xenophile


    Stoner wrote: »
    Could you make a more convincing argument?
    why is it urgently needed, why will it keep it great?

    Over and above satisfying a curiosity what benefits would it bring to the game.

    Is this driven by the IFA, FAI, FIFA ?

    Can you name one voluntary organisation that would not work better with greater transparency?

    The Forum on Spirituality has been closed for years. Please bring it back, there are lots of Spiritual people in Ireland and elsewhere.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,952 ✭✭✭✭Stoner


    I don't know I'm not an expert. Did a paper a long time ago on charities posting such figures, it all seemed great at the time , look what's happened since. Didn't do them much good, we still give to charities that only send under 20% to the causes. They still fudged the numbers, and a whistle blower was needed to expose some inflated salaries and "bonus" payments to senior staff.

    That said my own club was hit by something in the 1970 and never really recovered.

    I don't know if the posted figures will mean anything as they could so easily be manipulated. Also I'd be concerned about how some volunteers would respond to same with respect to how they value the time they give up to the games. That is a complex equation in itself and delicate.
    I could be convinced though, I just need more than a statement and a question back to me on it.
    :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,631 ✭✭✭Dirty Dingus McGee


    Won't make any difference.

    The books can just be manipulated whether they are published for general consumption or not.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    Yep. You need your head examined if you think that financial transparency will mean that we'll get to see how much money high profile managers & coaches are being paid under the table.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,095 ✭✭✭doc_17


    County boards have accounts at county convention. Clubs have them at their AGM. A little bit more transperancy at the top would be nice. For instance, how does Paraic Duffy get paid?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    Xenophile wrote: »
    Total Financial Transparency Immediately Necessary To Keep The GAA The Great Organisation that it is.

    We have a great association in the GAA, and to keep it great what is urgently required is total financial transparency from the bottom up i.e. from Club Level all the way at all levels to Croke Park.

    All clubs, County Boards, Provincial Boards, Divisional Boards etc. should be obliged to publish their Annual Financial Report on their websites.
    All shouldn't have to publish their AFR on their website. What obligation are they under to do so?
    What does it mean for them to publish the report online. County boards have accounts at county convention. Clubs have them at their AGM. Why publish them? For what end?
    Reports can always be adapted to hide money elsewhere...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,722 ✭✭✭nice_guy80


    I think financial fair play such as in the NFL in America would help to rebalance the GAA.
    Stricter budgets for all teams.
    Too many gurus and hangers-on making money off county teams.

    There are some county boards spending too much money to keep up with those able to generate much larger sums through gates and sponsorship and things like gala dinners in America.

    Fairer distribution of funds based on performance in the Championship
    EG Westmeath got €1000 from the Leinster Council for reaching the Leinster Final last year. That is ridiculous.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,216 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    Is this one of 'those threads'




    Or will this thread be able to address the lack of quality players in some counties that all the financial publishing or fair play not address at all ever ?




    I wonder.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,722 ✭✭✭nice_guy80


    listermint wrote: »
    Is this one of 'those threads'

    Or will this thread be able to address the lack of quality players in some counties that all the financial publishing or fair play not address at all ever ?

    I wonder.
    Dublin players get meals delivered to them everyday
    what other county can afford that? (i'm not picking on Dublin here)

    if you take a county like Leitrim, most of their panel probably aren't even living in the county full time.

    the lack of money in counties to properly develop their players from ages 14 - 21 is a HUGE issue.
    If the likes of Longford were guaranteed a set amount for the adult county team from central funding, they could put their resources into underage development (which they are doing very well with in football, despite their small numbers)


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Xenophile wrote: »
    Can you name one voluntary organisation that would not work better with greater transparency?

    Women's Aid

    But ignoring that pointless rhetorical question - what do you think is missing from the transparency that's there? Financial statements are released and discussed at all AGMs. The GAA publish theirs on the website for public consumption. So I suppose the real questions are:

    1. What is lacking in your view from the current regime?

    2. How would rectifying those issues improve the GAA?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    nice_guy80 wrote: »
    Dublin players get meals delivered to them everyday
    what other county can afford that? (i'm not picking on Dublin here)

    if you take a county like Leitrim, most of their panel probably aren't even living in the county full time.

    the lack of money in counties to properly develop their players from ages 14 - 21 is a HUGE issue.
    If the likes of Longford were guaranteed a set amount for the adult county team from central funding, they could put their resources into underage development (which they are doing very well with in football, despite their small numbers)


    Of all the bull$hit rumours out there about the Dubs, I think that's one of my favourites. Along with Cian O'Sullivan having a cryotherapy chamber and an ice machine delivered to his house, before last years AI final. :rollseyes:

    The Gourmet Food Parlour in Swords cater post training meals. (A lot of other counties have a similar set up, with hotels, restaurant and catering companies.) They certainly aren't delivering 3 square meals a day, to players houses and jobs.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,722 ✭✭✭nice_guy80


    ProudDUB wrote: »
    Of all the bull$hit rumours out there about the Dubs, I think that's one of my favourites. Along with Cian O'Sullivan having a cryotherapy chamber and an ice machine delivered to his house, before last years AI final.

    The Gourmet Food Parlour in Swords cater post training meals. (A lot of other counties have a similar set up, with hotels, restaurant and catering companies.) They certainly aren't delivering 3 square meals a day, to players houses and jobs. :rolleyes:

    Ok.
    I'm just quoting what I read in interviews over the summer with regard to county players


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    Well if u could point me in the general direction of the interview where a Dublin player spoke about getting all his meals delivered to him, I'd be very grateful. :rolleyes:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,095 ✭✭✭doc_17


    It would be nice to know how much Pauric Duffy gets paid!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,115 ✭✭✭Boom__Boom


    All shouldn't have to publish their AFR on their website. What obligation are they under to do so?
    What does it mean for them to publish the report online. County boards have accounts at county convention. Clubs have them at their AGM. Why publish them? For what end?
    Reports can always be adapted to hide money elsewhere...

    Putting the financial reports online would make it far far easier to access for anyone who wants to. It would cost clubs very little and would be massively beneficial for everyone in the GAA in terms of openness.

    The counties generally aren't too bad but in a lot of clubs it can happen that there is very little oversight and there are poor controls in place in terms of spending. Most of the time this isn't a problem (probably 99% of the time) but in some cases it can (and does) lead to issues. A fair few clubs around the country got in trouble with overambitous plans and spending because no-one was paying attention to the finances. Look at the disaster that is the PUC stadium project and look at the secrecy there in relation to financial issues - no-one in Cork GAA knows what the country secretary is being paid in terms of salary and benefits and the last meeting they had about the financial status of the stadium project the media weren't allowed in and only club delegates were allowed in. This project is already €13.4m over budget and the overage is likely to increase.

    Think of it this way - anyone who is hiding something in relation to financial affairs will definitely want as few people as possible looking at the financial reports.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,593 ✭✭✭DoctaDee


    ProudDUB wrote: »
    Well if u could point me in the general direction of the interview where a Dublin player spoke about getting all his meals delivered to him, I'd be very grateful. :rolleyes:

    Both Philly & Kev Mc are in the business of prepared meals, the Dub players on the twitter machine doff a hat at both from time to time regards their food parcels arriving... to deduce they're getting them for free and 3 times a day is a fair leap :rolleyes:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    Kev Mc has a meat & poultry delivery business, of the raw, uncooked variety. To extrapolate that into delivering 3 cooked meals a day, is an even bigger stretch. Shamrock Rovers and the DCU footballers are paying customers of Phillys food company. The Dublin Co Board isn't. A few of his team mates give his company the odd plug on Twitter, every now and then, but that's about it.

    I love seeing how all these silly rumours grow legs and suddenly become "fact," because someone read something in the paper, or saw something on the internet. :rolleyes:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,687 ✭✭✭✭jack presley


    nice_guy80 wrote: »
    I think financial fair play such as in the NFL in America would help to rebalance the GAA.
    Stricter budgets for all teams.
    Too many gurus and hangers-on making money off county teams.

    Are you really comparing the GAA to a professional league with revenues of over $10 billion a year?

    And their 'fair play' is restricted to player salaries and doesn't cover the the gurus and hangers on that you want transparency over.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,593 ✭✭✭DoctaDee


    ProudDUB wrote: »
    Kev Mc has a meat & poultry delivery business, of the raw, uncooked variety. To extrapolate that into delivering 3 cooked meals a day, is an even bigger stretch. .............

    Indeed yer right .. the BIL actually services his refrigerated van


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    Yep. Fresh Foods Direct.

    http://www.ffd.ie/

    " Delivering Value Direct To Your Door."

    September Special.

    If you're a Kerry or a Mayo footballer, we'll also deliver heartbreak and despair, direct to your door. At no extra charge. Contact kevin@ffd.ie today. Don't delay. :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    nice_guy80 wrote: »
    I think financial fair play such as in the NFL in America would help to rebalance the GAA.
    Stricter budgets for all teams.
    Too many gurus and hangers-on making money off county teams.

    There are some county boards spending too much money to keep up with those able to generate much larger sums through gates and sponsorship and things like gala dinners in America.

    Fairer distribution of funds based on performance in the Championship
    EG Westmeath got €1000 from the Leinster Council for reaching the Leinster Final last year. That is ridiculous.
    One is a professional league with income of billions the other is completely amateur. Financial fair play isn't going to happen. Who are these "gurus" and "hangers-on" making money off county teams?
    How do you want a more fairer distribution of funds to happen?
    Boom__Boom wrote: »
    Putting the financial reports online would make it far far easier to access for anyone who wants to. It would cost clubs very little and would be massively beneficial for everyone in the GAA in terms of openness.

    The counties generally aren't too bad but in a lot of clubs it can happen that there is very little oversight and there are poor controls in place in terms of spending. Most of the time this isn't a problem (probably 99% of the time) but in some cases it can (and does) lead to issues. A fair few clubs around the country got in trouble with overambitous plans and spending because no-one was paying attention to the finances. Look at the disaster that is the PUC stadium project and look at the secrecy there in relation to financial issues - no-one in Cork GAA knows what the country secretary is being paid in terms of salary and benefits and the last meeting they had about the financial status of the stadium project the media weren't allowed in and only club delegates were allowed in. This project is already €13.4m over budget and the overage is likely to increase.

    Think of it this way - anyone who is hiding something in relation to financial affairs will definitely want as few people as possible looking at the financial reports.
    Putting these reports online achieves nothing though and these reports are for club members and there is no reason to do it. It wont effect change in relation to clubs/counties being overambitious etc


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 78,579 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Xenophile wrote: »
    Total Financial Transparency
    All clubs, County Boards, Provincial Boards, Divisional Boards etc. should be obliged to publish their Annual Financial Report on their websites.
    You do realise that these are two different things?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,593 ✭✭✭DoctaDee


    Boom__Boom wrote: »
    .....................

    The counties generally aren't too bad but in a lot of clubs it can happen that there is very little oversight and there are poor controls in place in terms of spending. Most of the time this isn't a problem (probably 99% of the time) but in some cases it can (and does) lead to issues. A fair few clubs around the country got in trouble with overambitous plans and spending because no-one was paying attention to the finances. ..........................

    Think of it this way - anyone who is hiding something in relation to financial affairs will definitely want as few people as possible looking at the financial reports.

    One of the biggest drains I've seen on a clubs finances in recent years is the misuse of the "Player Injury Scheme". A club close to me were doling out a 5 figure sum annually to lads that were heading to physiotherapists for the rub down of tight hamstrings, bumps and bruises etc and honouring the receipt for professional fees.

    I make no bones about it being involved in the juvenile side of things, those unnecessary visits are keeping matchballs and kit from the underage teams in my eyes anyways


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,115 ✭✭✭Boom__Boom


    Putting these reports online achieves nothing though and these reports are for club members and there is no reason to do it. It wont effect change in relation to clubs/counties being overambitious etc

    It would be extremely easy and cheap for clubs to do and it would make the club accounts far more accessible for club members instead of the annual club accounts only being available at the AGM, every club member would be able to access the accounts 24/7 365 days a year. On it's own simply publishing the accounts is not going to be any magic bullet that is going to solve the range of issues facing clubs.

    However anything you look at in relation to fraud/corruption says the more transparency the less fraud/corruption.

    An awful lot of the GAA is reliant on sponsorship and/or fundraising - I'd imagine that for a lot of business folk they would be that bit more willing to donate/increase their contribution if they were more confident that the funds were being used effectively and fairly and there was openness about where the money was going. If you are going to a business looking for sponsorship and you can tell them "well the club publishes the annual audited financial accounts on the club website" or "the accounts are only available if you come to the AGM" I'm sure they would be more likely to donate/increase their contribution in the first situation.

    The main thing is for me is that it would require very little effort from the clubs and various different organisational units to do this and there would be close to zero disadvantages of doing it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    Boom__Boom wrote: »
    It would be extremely easy and cheap for clubs to do and it would make the club accounts far more accessible for club members instead of the annual club accounts only being available at the AGM, every club member would be able to access the accounts 24/7 365 days a year. On it's own simply publishing the accounts is not going to be any magic bullet that is going to solve the range of issues facing clubs.

    However anything you look at in relation to fraud/corruption says the more transparency the less fraud/corruption.

    An awful lot of the GAA is reliant on sponsorship and/or fundraising - I'd imagine that for a lot of business folk they would be that bit more willing to donate/increase their contribution if they were more confident that the funds were being used effectively and fairly and there was openness about where the money was going. If you are going to a business looking for sponsorship and you can tell them "well the club publishes the annual audited financial accounts on the club website" or "the accounts are only available if you come to the AGM" I'm sure they would be more likely to donate/increase their contribution in the first situation.

    The main thing is for me is that it would require very little effort from the clubs and various different organisational units to do this and there would be close to zero disadvantages of doing it.
    But what does a club benefit from this? You should have to be a member to access these accounts. If members do not want to attend an AGM or find the information from committee members why are they entitled to get this information.
    Publishing accounts does nothing towards solving any issue or create a more transparent set up. The accounts are already freely available to all members who want to see them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,073 ✭✭✭Xenophile


    But what does a club benefit from this? You should have to be a member to access these accounts. If members do not want to attend an AGM or find the information from committee members why are they entitled to get this information.
    Publishing accounts does nothing towards solving any issue or create a more transparent set up. The accounts are already freely available to all members who want to see them.


    Your contribution is overly simplistic and does not reflect reality!

    The Forum on Spirituality has been closed for years. Please bring it back, there are lots of Spiritual people in Ireland and elsewhere.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    Xenophile wrote: »
    Your contribution is overly simplistic and does not reflect reality!
    How is it "overly simplistic"? A member of a club is perfectly entitled to see the accounts of their club and can do so already but through the official means. This information doesnt and shouldnt have to be freely available.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 111 ✭✭The Slobs


    Boom__Boom wrote: »
    Putting the financial reports online would make it far far easier to access for anyone who wants to. It would cost clubs very little and would be massively beneficial for everyone in the GAA in terms of openness.

    The counties generally aren't too bad but in a lot of clubs it can happen that there is very little oversight and there are poor controls in place in terms of spending.


    If people are that interested in their clubs finances maybe they should try going to the agm and they can ask questions directly and have a copy of the financial report to take home with them.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Xenophile wrote: »
    Your contribution is overly simplistic and does not reflect reality!

    What's the reality so?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,722 ✭✭✭nice_guy80


    Members of one club should NOT be able to just view another clubs accounts

    Its like one business looking at the accounts of another business

    As said above, AGMs and club meetings are there for members to investigate and query the running of clubs and their finances


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,073 ✭✭✭Xenophile


    nice_guy80 wrote: »
    Members of one club should NOT be able to just view another clubs accounts

    Its like one business looking at the accounts of another business

    Anyone can access any company's accounts as they are lodged with the Companies Registration Office, Parnell Square, Dublin 1.

    The Forum on Spirituality has been closed for years. Please bring it back, there are lots of Spiritual people in Ireland and elsewhere.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,073 ✭✭✭Xenophile


    What's the reality so?

    A lot more transparency needed.

    The Forum on Spirituality has been closed for years. Please bring it back, there are lots of Spiritual people in Ireland and elsewhere.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,789 ✭✭✭theoneeyedman


    Xenophile wrote: »
    Anyone can access any company's accounts as they are lodged with the Companies Registration Office, Parnell Square, Dublin 1.

    Would you be happy to post your bank statements on here then.... It would be interesting from a transparency pov!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,073 ✭✭✭Xenophile


    Would you be happy to post your bank statements on here then.... It would be interesting from a transparency pov!

    That has nothing got to do with transparency within the GAA. Just wish that you would not seek to personalise the thread! It serves no purpose!

    The Forum on Spirituality has been closed for years. Please bring it back, there are lots of Spiritual people in Ireland and elsewhere.



  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Xenophile wrote: »
    A lot more transparency needed.

    That's a bland statement with nothing to support it.

    What's the lack of transparency at the moment and why does it need to be addressed?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,073 ✭✭✭Xenophile


    What's the reality so?

    Do you expect me to write an essay in response to your four word question? If you read previous posts supporting the proposition you could inform yourself as to the merits and benefits of transparency!

    The Forum on Spirituality has been closed for years. Please bring it back, there are lots of Spiritual people in Ireland and elsewhere.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,397 ✭✭✭howiya


    nice_guy80 wrote: »
    Members of one club should NOT be able to just view another clubs accounts

    Its like one business looking at the accounts of another business

    As said above, AGMs and club meetings are there for members to investigate and query the running of clubs and their finances

    I'd agree with most of this. Would also add that only paid up members ie those entitled to attend and vote at the AGM should be able to see the club's accounts. They should not be put online for all and sundry to view them.

    Clubs are run on behalf of their members and I can't see any reason why a non member would have an interest in a club's accounts.

    Businesses are different, governed by companies act, formed in the hope of making a profit etc


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Xenophile wrote: »
    Total Financial Transparency Immediately Necessary To Keep The GAA The Great Organisation that it is.

    We have a great association in the GAA, and to keep it great what is urgently required is total financial transparency from the bottom up i.e. from Club Level all the way at all levels to Croke Park.

    All clubs, County Boards, Provincial Boards, Divisional Boards etc. should be obliged to publish their Annual Financial Report on their websites.
    Xenophile wrote: »
    Can you name one voluntary organisation that would not work better with greater transparency?
    Xenophile wrote: »
    Your contribution is overly simplistic and does not reflect reality!
    Xenophile wrote: »
    Anyone can access any company's accounts as they are lodged with the Companies Registration Office, Parnell Square, Dublin 1.
    Xenophile wrote: »
    A lot more transparency needed.
    Xenophile wrote: »
    That has nothing got to do with transparency within the GAA. Just wish that you would not seek to personalise the thread! It serves no purpose!
    Xenophile wrote: »
    Do you expect me to write an essay in response to your four word question? If you read previous posts supporting the proposition you could inform yourself as to the merits and benefits of transparency!


    I'd expect you to put forward even one single fact, idea or example in support of your initial proposition yes. You appear to be doing nothing more than putting forward your proposition ("we need more transparency!") as absolute fact and refuse to back it up with anything approaching a coherent idea or statement.


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  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    The other points made by people who are actually engaging in the thread are:
    1. More Transparency = Less Corruption
    2. Some form of GAA lead Financial Fair Play would be beneficial in redressing the balance at intercounty level
    3. Unwise investment projects could be easier avoided and harder to cover up when they run into trouble

    Point 1 is reasonable and is certainly a truism. However there's very little evidence or even a suggestion of corruption or fraud within the GAA. Payments to managers is a separate issue that publishing accounts won't necessarily help at all.

    Point 2 has some degree of merit also and the GAA has looked at financial balancing between counties but the issue usually falls back on the manner in which teams are traditionally funded in the GAA. Private funding tends to be the major source of income and covers things like gym memberships etc. Possibly a reduction in Central Council funding for "richer" counties would help to address the imbalance but publishing the accounts in the manner prescribed wouldn't be the answer to that issue either. It is, unfortunately, a problem requiring a far more detailed and fundamental change in how GAA finances work from club level up.

    Point 3, the investment projects. Again all this information is available for anyone who is bothered to go and be involved. There was mention of company accounts being furnished to the CRO. The same thing has to happen for charities such as the GAA. They file the same types of accounts and make them available online also in their annual financial report.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 335 ✭✭HanaleiJ5N


    I didn't realise the GAA's "greatness" was so precarious on account of this issue, and sorry OP but I have to agree with the previous poster that you haven't really made any real argument for your proposal.

    I think the GAA has bigger problems. For example, the club player is screwed over year after year. Putting entire county championships on hold to suit the 1% of players within that county on inter-county panels is completely unfair.

    Even if accounts were to be published, we all know that there are plenty of loopholes, accounts don't give a clear picture. We all know many clubs pay high "expenses" to outside managers, and we can all imagine a multitude of ways that can be explained away in accounts.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,073 ✭✭✭Xenophile


    Boom__Boom wrote: »
    Putting the financial reports online would make it far far easier to access for anyone who wants to. It would cost clubs very little and would be massively beneficial for everyone in the GAA in terms of openness.

    The counties generally aren't too bad but in a lot of clubs it can happen that there is very little oversight and there are poor controls in place in terms of spending. Most of the time this isn't a problem (probably 99% of the time) but in some cases it can (and does) lead to issues. A fair few clubs around the country got in trouble with overambitous plans and spending because no-one was paying attention to the finances. Look at the disaster that is the PUC stadium project and look at the secrecy there in relation to financial issues - no-one in Cork GAA knows what the country secretary is being paid in terms of salary and benefits and the last meeting they had about the financial status of the stadium project the media weren't allowed in and only club delegates were allowed in. This project is already €13.4m over budget and the overage is likely to increase.

    Think of it this way - anyone who is hiding something in relation to financial affairs will definitely want as few people as possible looking at the financial reports.
    Boom__Boom wrote: »
    It would be extremely easy and cheap for clubs to do and it would make the club accounts far more accessible for club members instead of the annual club accounts only being available at the AGM, every club member would be able to access the accounts 24/7 365 days a year. On it's own simply publishing the accounts is not going to be any magic bullet that is going to solve the range of issues facing clubs.

    However anything you look at in relation to fraud/corruption says the more transparency the less fraud/corruption.

    An awful lot of the GAA is reliant on sponsorship and/or fundraising - I'd imagine that for a lot of business folk they would be that bit more willing to donate/increase their contribution if they were more confident that the funds were being used effectively and fairly and there was openness about where the money was going. If you are going to a business looking for sponsorship and you can tell them "well the club publishes the annual audited financial accounts on the club website" or "the accounts are only available if you come to the AGM" I'm sure they would be more likely to donate/increase their contribution in the first situation.

    The main thing is for me is that it would require very little effort from the clubs and various different organisational units to do this and there would be close to zero disadvantages of doing it.

    The above poster supports the proposition quite eloquently !

    Yes definitely my own view, where any organisation or institution opposes transparency it is usually that they want certain information hidden or withheld from the public!

    Also my view, that any posters here opposing transparency in the GAA either know nothing about the GAA or on the other hand they may know too much.

    The Forum on Spirituality has been closed for years. Please bring it back, there are lots of Spiritual people in Ireland and elsewhere.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,073 ✭✭✭Xenophile


    HanaleiJ5N wrote: »
    Even if accounts were to be published, we all know that there are plenty of loopholes, accounts don't give a clear picture. We all know many clubs pay high "expenses" to outside managers, and we can all imagine a multitude of ways that can be explained away in accounts.

    There are many decent life long members in the GAA who are appalled at the amount of money paid to non playing personnel.

    In many instances the recipients of these payments are not even members of any club within the county that are making the payments!

    The Forum on Spirituality has been closed for years. Please bring it back, there are lots of Spiritual people in Ireland and elsewhere.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    Xenophile wrote: »
    The above poster supports the proposition quite eloquently !

    Yes definitely my own view, where any organisation or institution opposes transparency it is usually that they want certain information hidden or withheld from the public!

    Also my view, that any posters here opposing transparency in the GAA either know nothing about the GAA or on the other hand they may know too much.

    You started this thread & you have used phrases such as "urgently needed" & "immediately necessary." But so far, you have offered up zero arguments, or any depth thoughts, or made any serious points, to support your cause for serious concern, or even your reason for starting this thread. You also refused to engage with another poster who suggested you do so.

    You have belittled others for being overly simplistic, ignorant or having something to hide, for committing the crime of not agreeing with a statement that you have made, but refuse to discuss in any great depth. I'm starting to smell something fishy here & it's not the GAA's finances.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    Xenophile wrote: »
    The above poster supports the proposition quite eloquently!

    Yes definitely my own view, where any organisation or institution opposes transparency it is usually that they want certain information hidden or withheld from the public!

    Also my view, that any posters here opposing transparency in the GAA either know nothing about the GAA or on the other hand they may know too much.
    Your argument is nonsense. Please add actual facts to back up your viewpoint. And please stop insulting other posters...
    Where are your in-depth points on what changes need to be made?
    Xenophile wrote: »
    There are many decent life long members in the GAA who are appalled at the amount of money paid to non playing personnel.

    In many instances the recipients of these payments are not even members of any club within the county that are making the payments!
    Again big generalisations. Those non club members are generally specialists in a field providing a service.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Xenophile wrote: »
    There are many decent life long members in the GAA who are appalled at the amount of money paid to non playing personnel.

    In many instances the recipients of these payments are not even members of any club within the county that are making the payments!

    You clearly have no interest in actually discussing this. For example:
    Xenophile wrote: »
    Yes definitely my own view, where any organisation or institution opposes transparency it is usually that they want certain information hidden or withheld from the public!

    This is an example of your poor thought process. Nothing in that paragraph is necessarily suggestive of something negative. You're just phrasing it in a way to make the GAA seem ominous somehow. It's all just pathetic rhetoric really.

    Here's another example:
    Xenophile wrote:
    There are many decent life long members in the GAA who are appalled at the amount of money paid to non playing personnel.

    In many instances the recipients of these payments are not even members of any club within the county that are making the payments!

    This statement makes no sense. If the County Board bring in a games development officer for the county or a nutritionist for the senior teams or anyone else then the clubs can bring it up at the next meeting. They can find out whatever they choose.

    But here's why everything you've said is utter nonsense: that there is nothing whatsoever inherently wrong with bringing in those people. No matter how much you want to imply otherwise.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,073 ✭✭✭Xenophile


    ProudDUB wrote: »
    You started this thread & you have used phrases such as "urgently needed" & "immediately necessary." But so far, you have offered up zero arguments, or any depth thoughts, or made any serious points, to support your cause for serious concern, or even your reason for starting this thread. You also refused to engage with another poster who suggested you do so.

    You have belittled others for being overly simplistic, ignorant or having something to hide, for committing the crime of not agreeing with a statement that you have made, but refuse to discuss in any great depth. I'm starting to smell something fishy here & it's not the GAA's finances.

    "There are none so blind as those who will not see" I am amazed at the invective my post has created. Would the same people be happy with non-transparency in Government finances?

    Ignorant is not a word I have used in any post. But in asking you to re-read my posts would be pointless as you do not see any need for transparency!

    The Forum on Spirituality has been closed for years. Please bring it back, there are lots of Spiritual people in Ireland and elsewhere.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,073 ✭✭✭Xenophile


    You clearly have no interest in actually discussing this. For example:



    This is an example of your poor thought process. Nothing in that paragraph is necessarily suggestive of something negative. You're just phrasing it in a way to make the GAA seem ominous somehow. It's all just pathetic rhetoric really.

    Here's another example:



    This statement makes no sense. If the County Board bring in a games development officer for the county or a nutritionist for the senior teams or anyone else then the clubs can bring it up at the next meeting. They can find out whatever they choose.

    there is nothing whatsoever inherently wrong with bringing in those people.

    Poor thought processes, that's a joke!

    Nothing at all wrong with bringing in these people, just let us know how much they are being paid?

    The Forum on Spirituality has been closed for years. Please bring it back, there are lots of Spiritual people in Ireland and elsewhere.



  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Xenophile wrote: »
    Poor thought processes, that's a joke!

    Nothing at all wrong with bringing in these people, just let us know how much they are being paid?

    Three questions from this:

    Do you think they are being overpaid or suspect something untoward is going on with them?

    Why is it insufficient to simply go along and ask at the county board meeting?

    How will knowing their wage maintain the GAA's position as the great organisation it is?


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