Kelly walking his own line

GAA annual congress: In his address to this year's annual congress in Killarney on Saturday, GAA president Seán Kelly covered a number of issues. Most comment centred on his response to the ruling out of order by the past presidents on the Motions Committee of eight motions on the subject of Rule 42 and the use of Croke Park.

"The fact that no motion on Rule 42 appears on the clár despite being submitted by eight counties has disappointed and indeed angered many. The past presidents have borne the brunt of much of this anger," said Kelly.

"This is unfortunate, as each of them has given life-long and distinguished service to the association and they, no less than anyone else are constrained by the rules of the association.

"Nevertheless, the fact that motions now out of order were deemed in order, in previous years, has perplexed many and has led to unsustainable conspiracy theories.

As I indicated last year, when announcing the setting up of a Rules Revision Committee, our rules are too complicated and often too negatively written.

"For instance the Motion Committee's role is to judge whether motions are in order, not to put them in order, and the president can rule a motion out of order, not in order.

"I would welcome a situation, where if motions are passed at county conventions, a committee at national level would have the authority to put them in order. How does it progress our association when a perfectly laudable, well-thought out idea can't be discussed because it's technically out of order?

"Besides, when knowledge of the rules is the preserve of a few, this confers a certain power on these few, which is unhealthy and undemocratic. Are there 40 people in this hall who could confidently put a motion in order for Congress? Are there 30? Are there 20? Are there 10? I emphasise this because it doesn't have to be like this, it's not like this in most other organisations and it mustn't be like this much longer," he said.

On the substantive issue concerning the use of Croke Park, Kelly - whose public advocacy of allowing other sports be played at GAA headquarters brought some criticism down on his head in recent months - defended his position. He pointed out the Strategic Review Committee had recommended a similar position.

"This committee, in the words of my predecessor Seán McThaidhg whose brainchild it was, was made up of "a cross-section of Irish society best placed to comment of the needs of the association" and some of the top administrators in the GAA Their recommendation makes good sense to me and I have said so when asked and indeed, I look forward to the day when this recommendation, like other recommendations of this fine report which have not already been dealt with is debated at Congress.

"Some individuals have questioned the right of the uachtarán to express his personal opinion on this matter. One assumes these critics are expressing their own personal opinions, while wishing to deny me, an t-uachtarán the right to express mine. Well, I have news for you gentlemen:

"When you have the same mandate as I got from Congress two years ago, then and not till then shall I be silenced by you or anybody else. I was elected to lead, not to be led, to praise not to be praised, to serve not to be served.

As I said last year "in endeavouring to serve all, I'll ask myself one question: 'What is best for the association?'. I do not have any other agenda, sporting, personal or political.

"I'll listen carefully, consult widely, ponder deeply but ultimately make up my own mind and follow that without fear or favour; that's what I have done and that's what I'll continue to do. Like Johnny Cash, I intend to keep my eyes wide open all the time, keep a close watch on some friends of mine but when it comes to walking the line, I'll walk no line but my own, the line that I think is best for the GAA.

"Wouldn't it be a remarkable state of affairs if everybody in the country was entitled to comment on what changes the country needed except the Taoiseach?" Kelly also addressed the question of the projected integration of the camogie and women's football associations with Croke Park.

"The integration process for all three associations, which I chair, is now beginning to take shape and we hope, in a few months, to have a clear picture of where we want to go. Arising from this we will give direction to clubs and counties and put in train a process of implementation.

"My own evolving thoughts at this stage would envisage the possibility of comprehensive or even total integration at club level, which some clubs already have, partial integration at county level with the closest cooperation and integrated sub-committees at national level."