Cost of county teams up by 50%

All-Ireland Club Championships: The cost of running a senior county football or hurling panel has increased by at least 50 per cent in the last five years, according to GAA president Nickey Brennan.

"I expect that the overall cost of looking after all 32 county teams - and that includes travelling to meals to medical (costs) - will probably be in the order of 15 to 20 million euros this year," said Brennan.

"Now that's probably, I'd say, at least a 50 to 60 per cent increase on what it was five years ago. Probably more, when we calculate all the figures.

"If the cost continues to rise, the level of income in counties has perhaps levelled off to some degree, it is becoming more and more difficult for county officers to run (the boards) with the level of income they have. They get a certain amount of income from Croke Park, or grants or help, but they can't be looking to Croke Park as a primary source of income. We should be a secondary source of income to counties, and we will continue in that regard."

The annual expenditure of most counties will be available before the year's end, but Mayo County Board secretary Seán Feeney already stated that at least €500,000 was spent running the senior football panel in 2006.

Feeney said: "The cost is colossal and is expected to increase. That includes expenses for medical, physio, gear, mileage and meals. Just look at the current situation of increasing fuel costs. That will lead directly to an increase in mileage. At present the mileage rate is 50 cent per mile, but people will probably start looking for an increase."

Mayo have a particular problem is this regard as their manager Mickey Moran and selector John Morrison make 300-mile round trips for training and matches several times a week.

"Then we had a trip to Portugal for training purposes, which cost between €30,000 and €40,000," said Feeney.

"Costs are going to increase. The increase in petrol will also contribute to caterers who come in for meals as their transport must be paid for. Then there is the cost of specialist treatment.

"We will definitely try to make some savings next year," added Feeney. "A lot of money is spent on physio, medical and scans for the least little injury. A scan is anything between €500 and €600. We can reclaim some of the expenditure, but it does all add up.

"One form of saving for next year comes from the fact we had a new management in place this year and they had over 40 players in the panel for a while. They eventually settled back down to 30 players, but there will definitely be no more than a 30-man panel coming into next year's league."

Brennan was at the AIB club championships launch in Athenry yesterday, where he also elaborated on Tuesday's comments about the widespread payment of managers at both club and county level.

Although he offered no immediate solution to what he considers a threat to the GAA amateur status, Brennan hoped that outside benefactors would consider investing money into the grassroots of their county rather than paying managers. He admitted exposing the money trail back to these benefactors was a difficult task - it failed during the presidency of Seán McCague.

"There are clearly some people assisting managers to come to counties," said Brennan. "(They are) people from outside the GAA circle and county board circle. I think tracing those from our point of view is extremely difficult. I'm not saying it is impossible. I'm not saying we won't continue to do it. What I am saying - I expect as president that county board officers will adhere to the policies and procedures laid down by Central Council. I mean, if I didn't make that statement I wouldn't be fit to wear that pin on my coat."

To the suggestion that the GAA could pay managers themselves in a promotional role Brennan replied: "If we start paying managers, well, the whole amateur ethos is dead in the water. Then the next step is paying the players and that is a role we will not contemplate whatsoever."

And yet, the GAA has directly paid players for promotional work this year.