Derry anger at Croke Park staffing costs

DERRY GAA chiefs last night launched an astonishing attack on Croke Park bosses.

Chairman Seamus McCloy expressed annoyance and concern at how the Association is being run in his address to last night’s annual convention.

Said McCloy: “The huge increase in the popularity of Gaelic games has resulted in a phenomenal growth in the number of staff at Croke Park. This growth has been unplanned, unstructured and is inadequately monitored. Furthermore, it is adding a major fixed cost to our activities — a fixed cost which will not be easy to get rid of, should our revenue start to dry up.

“The ordinary GAA club member would be shocked and annoyed by the numbers of staff at Croke Park and by what they are costing the Association. And those costs are not restricted to the normal salary and pensions; junkets have now become a way of life in the GAA. And yet when a crisis develops, the president, who may only be in office a few months, is immediately required. Our senior staff, who are well paid to administer the Association and deal with problems as they arise, become invisible.

“The relationship between some of the senior staff and Central Council is best described as cosy. Central Council’s managerial ability is virtually negligible; we operate in an inefficient, inexpert and unprofessional way. Our organisational structures, systems and operations are out-of-date for the modern GAA era.

“This carbuncle has to be lanced. A professional board, under the direction of a chief executive, should be appointed to manage our affairs at Croke Park. A reconstructed Central Council, consisting of the 32 county chairmen as recommended in the SRC Report chaired by Peter Quinn, should oversee the direction and workings of our professional board. They should set priorities and operate along business lines.”