Walsh lambastes committee for excluding motions

FORMER Munster Council chairman Noel Walsh last night directed a stinging criticism at the vetting committee which ruled all eight motions relating to Croke Park out of order.

Mr Walsh, the driving force behind the Clare motion which was similarly deemed ineligible by ex-President Sean McCague prior to the 2002 Congress, said he was “disgusted”.

Specifically, he wanted to know how the motion from Clare which had been found to be technically correct by the vetting committee for two successive years could now be found to be out of order.

He stressed that he had “gone to great bother” to ensure that it was properly submitted and included “every possible rule you could imagine”.

Mr Walsh suggested that it was next to impossible to get a motion properly drafted, saying: “no matter how you do it, a way can always be found to identify a sub-rule of a main rule that has not been quoted properly.

“This is a topic everybody talks about coming up to Congress. What has happened is preventing the fair and democratic possibility of allowing people to air their pros and cons, irrespective of how the vote would go.

“There’s no guarantee it would get a two-thirds majority, but surely be to God, we could discuss it.”

After Roscommon’s motion supporting the change of policy was narrowly defeated in 2000 and wasn’t re-submitted the following year, he decided to again put it forward, copying it “word for word”.

“It went through the process and was put on the agenda for the Congress two years ago. It was accepted as being correct in regards to rules, but before the discussion took place Sean McCague stated that he felt this motion was out of order. Despite the fact that he felt it was out of order, he allowed a vote and it was well defeated.

“Last year, we put the motion forward again and I worded it the same. But, when the vetting committee sat, it was ruled out of order and was not put on the agenda for Congress in Belfast.’’

Mr Walsh was also critical that another Roscommon motion, proposing a census of all the clubs on the Croke Park issue was now “in limbo” having been rejected by the vetting committee and Central Council.

Presidential candidate Christy Cooney, who recently finished his term as Munster chairman, also expressed his disappointment.

I believe it’s important that a democratic decision would take place. It’s sad to see that the motions are not in order. It would be important that the matter be dealt with and it’s a pity that it’s not on the agenda. There has been so much talk and so much discussion around the situation that it would clear the air once and for all on the whole issue,’’ stated Mr Cooney.