Panel sizes are financial burden
WHILE Kerry GAA’s overall financial situation remains “solid” according to Dermot ‘Weeshie’ Lynch, the out-going treasurer cautions that a tight rein will have to be kept on team training expenses, especially the senior teams. He also says that Kerry County Committee need to be “proactive, innovative and stay ahead of the game” with regard to their ongoing international fundraising efforts.
In his report to Convention next Monday night, Mr Lynch will state that the accounts show a retained profit of €539k but “to keep Kerry teams successful, huge effort is required from players and management alike, which in turn demand more resources resulting in costs to the board reflected in our team expenses, especially in the area of player welfare and medical expenses. The results achieved for 2018 would not be possible without the support of our players and management teams who are well aware of the tight financial constraints that we have to operate within.”
Mr Lynch continues: “Team expenses overall return the same as 2017 and will always be a challenge to the board to maintain. However, while there were some notable cost reductions in some areas, there were significant increases in the Senior footballers and hurlers which cannot be ignored. This is as a direct result of increased management teams and panel sizes,” adding that the net cost to Kerry GAA for all interteams was of €819,000.
“Physiotherapy and medical expenses of €168k are down €16,000 from 2017 and reflect the hard work of all trying to contain it,” the report says.
“This is a major expense item to the board and provides a huge challenge in trying to provide best medical cover to our teams at the lowest possible cost. Player welfare will always be top priority in Kerry GAA but close attention will always have to given to this area due to the amount of activity and costs involved.
“Team management and panel sizes will also provide a challenge to the board along with every other County Board in the Country. While it is every County Board’s ambition to prepare their teams to the very best and have some silverware at the end of the year, if trends continue the costs will just become prohibitive or will come at a cost to some other areas of the board.”
Mr Lynch says that while 2018 has again been “a very solid financial year...and has us in a very healthy position...it’s important to point out the challenges and commitments that lie ahead. The continued up keep and running of Currans Centre of Excellence will always present its demands along with the development in IT Tralee, which is nearing completion.
“All of these projects will require money away from the day to day running of the board. As a result we have set up a Capital Sinking Fund this year and have put away €100k to start off with out of this year’s finances. Hopefully this policy can be repeated in the years ahead and when capital investment will be required by the board in the future, the funds will be there to meet it and will not require additional borrowing.
On the issue of fundraising the treasurer says: “International fundraising will continue well into 2019 and beyond with the monies generated used to meet the capital repayments of Currans and IT Tralee. Kerry’s success at International fundraising is widely acclaimed both at home and abroad and is a credit to all involved. Now we see other counties following Kerry’s model going abroad doing the same thing, it is expected there will be some impact, so we will need to be proactive, innovative and stay ahead of the game.