GAA chiefs confirm Galway, Mayo and Wexford subject to Revenue risk review

Croke Park have revealed to counties they are liaising with Revenue and will be providing a template to assist them in completing potential audits. Pic: ©INPHO/James Lawlor

Croke Park have revealed to counties they are liaising with Revenue and will be providing a template to assist them in completing potential audits.

In an online meeting with county officers on Tuesday evening, GAA chiefs confirmed three counties – Galway, Mayo and Wexford – are subject to open risk reviews.

As the GAA engage with that trio, they are also preparing a document to steer the other 23 counties operating in the jurisdiction of the Irish statutory tax body.

Given they are in early discussions with Revenue, details of who or what might follow the investigation of Galway, Mayo and Wexford were scant.

It could not be confirmed if other counties will be subjected to the same procedures or the scope of the Revenue’s audits. It was suggested by a county official what is disclosed by the counties could determine the extent of what follows.

The seriousness of the situation was made abundantly clear by a number of county officers on the call. Mayo outlined the breadth and detail of the risk review Revenue are currently undertaking in the county. It is understood the county have to make a final declaration in the coming weeks.

It was also mentioned how insistent Revenue are to include several items in those tax returns. As the Irish Examiner reported on Sunday, the commissioners have not accepted Mayo’s initial tax disclosure of close to €120,000 pertaining to Cúl Camp expenses.

New Galway TD John Connolly said he is concerned by the ongoing issue with potential tax liabilities for GAA county boards.

At Galway convention on Monday night, delegates heard chairperson Paul Bellew and outgoing treasurer Mike Burke welcome the news that Croke Park have called an urgent meeting of all county chairpersons, secretaries and treasurers to discuss Revenue’s risk review of counties.

Galway and Mayo have already confirmed they would not be singing off on their 2024 accounts due to the ongoing concern. Areas of interest for Revenue include referee fees and team holidays.

Speaking from the floor, Fianna Fáil’s John Connolly, who won a seat in Galway West recently, said he was keen to ensure the current engagements were “done in a fair manner”.

The CLG Bhearna man remarked: “I would see us to having a particular remit in making sure that in implementing political policy or a policy developed by politicians, that it is done in a fair manner.

“I certainly won’t be letting this rest until I know that is happening. I am a bit concerned by what I am hearing. My understanding of benefit-in-kind, I am not a tax consultant, I am not a tax expert, is that it has to be applied to employees.

“As far as I can detect from what I hear, that is not what is happening. I may be wrong on that, but I aim to make sure the policy is being applied properly. That people and the association aren’t being unduly affected by it.”

Bellew was re-elected as chairperson at the Lough Rea Hotel while Tommy Kelly was elected treasurer. During the chairperson’s address, Bellew cited the recent analysis of the economic impact of Gaelic games that found it to be worth at least €2.87 billion to Irish society.

“That is the figure,” he said. “We are going to talk about it, we need intervention from Croke Park very quickly or there is going to be serious consequences for county boards at the fault of nobody, a different interpretation of things that we never thought would be the case.

"That is it. Now will never be a better time to have friends in high places.”