Treasurer Burke pulls no punches in report on mismanagement of GAA finances
IT has been confirmed that bonuses paid out by Galway GAA were not ratified by the management committee, with Chairman Pat Kearney highlighting the committee was not even aware the practice existed.
This was just one of numerous startling revelations relating to the mismanagement of Galway GAA’s finances in recent years which emerged during the course of a marathon and explosive County GAA Convention in the Claregalway Hotel on Monday night.
Among the other shocking revelations to come to light was that a Galway GAA credit card had been used for the payment of personal expenses and there was a lack of control and transparency over tickets drawn down from Croke Park and the payment of them.
With delegates, fuming over these revelations, pushing for answers, Naomh Anna’s Tony O Laoi demanded to know if somebody did receive a bonus out of Galway GAA’s finances.
“Yes, there were bonuses,” replied Kearney.
“Did the management committee pass those bonuses?” pushed the Naomh Anna delegate.
“No, they did not pass those bonuses; they weren’t aware of the bonuses,” conceded Kearney, which generated a great deal of ire in the room.
“So, are you saying here tonight, the management committee did not ratify those bonuses?” reiterated O Laoi.
“No, they did not,” stated Kearney.
This disclosure came on the back of an eye-opening report from Treasurer Mike Burke. Since taking up office a year ago, the Kinvara official has been endeavouring to get to the bottom of the poor financial practices existing in Galway GAA in recent years.
In a statement at the outset of the meeting, Burke, who said he was bound by legal constraints as to the extent of the information he could release, outlined when he took up office it didn’t take “long to realise that all was not well” with Galway GAA’s finances.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.