Tipp board urged to slash costs as €250,000 loss hits home

Former Munster Council chairman Con Hogan has warned Tipperary GAA officials they must be “cold and ruthless” in their proposed cost-cutting measures in 2013, as one Premier County delegate warned of potential “financial ruin” at this week’s convention.

Tipperary’s 2012 financial statement revealed a massive €246,939 loss for the year and follows a deficit of almost €220,000 revealed a year previously.

In the last four years, Premier County top brass have revealed losses of over €650,000.

Hogan, a former GAA trustee and Tipperary’s representative on Croke Park’s Central Hearings Committee, expressed his disappointment with the financial statement.

Hogan said: “Last year, there was no comment whatsoever from convention on the accounts. This year, it was looking as if there wouldn’t be again, almost as if convention is happy to follow the pied piper of Hamelin over the financial hit. I know at first hand the efforts that the chairman, treasurer and secretary have made to try to reduce expenses but putting it bluntly, there will have to be more.

“There is no other way. We can’t walk in here again next year with a financial report like that. If we don’t do something about it, our creditors will. It’s as simple as that.”

Hogan argued that projected income for next year must be in line with projected expenditure, and he called for a 10% reduction in expenditure overall.

He added: “Is there anyone in this room that can tell me that we can’t reduce by 10%? If we do, we’ll solve our deficit and that should be our objective, with a cold and if necessary, ruthless approach.

“I’m disappointed with sundry fundraising. I know the effort officers and others have made but it’s clear the reason why gate receipts (down by €26,170 in 2012) continue to decline. We have a bad product. There were 30 games up to the county final in this year’s championship — 15 were won by more than seven points, 12 by more than 10. I ask you, who is going to spend money going to games when they know the result before they go?”

Ballina delegate Michael Hayes, meanwhile, warned the county board is facing “financial ruin” if the trend continues. He said: “There’s a reason why income is falling — our product (county SHC) isn’t what it needs to be. But it can’t be done by five or six (officers) up there on their own. We need to tackle this on a broader basis and get clubs involved. We’re facing financial ruin if this continues.”

Addressing delegates, county board chairman Sean Nugent conceded: “It’s not sustainable to continue along these lines — it has to be addressed. The most difficult problems that we have at county board level at the moment are reducing expenditure and raising finance. Serious attention will have to be given to that in the New Year.”