'I am a bit concerned by what I am hearing' - Galway TD on Revenue investigations for GAA county boards
Croke Park chiefs have called an urgent meeting of top county officials. Pic: INPHO/Leah Scholes
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.”
“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,” said the CLG Bhearna man.
“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. I say what I mean, we brought this to the door of Croke Park and we have left it there. That is why we are meeting tomorrow, Tuesday evening.”
