Galway County Board chairman Pat Kearney has said that he had no part in blocking any investigation into the county’s finances, and was the first to bring the matter to Croke Park.
Kearney was reelected to the post of Chairman unopposed at the convention on Monday where angry delegates were told of “serious abuse” of the county’s finances.
He said it was now time to implement new policies and financial controls, many of which were recommended in the independent audit conducted by Mazars.
Delegates at the convention heard from County Treasurer Mike Burke that there had been serious financial abuse and mismanagement in Galway.
He included €45,000 worth of personal expenses run up on the county credit card, unauthorised bonus payments, and €440,000 of ticket debt owed to Croke Park.
When he tried to investigate these problems, the Treasurer said that he was blocked by people within Galway GAA.
According to the Irish Times Mr Kearney said that he could “categorically” state that he blocked nothing and helped the probe every step of the way.
Pat Kearney became chairman of the County Board in 2017, and from there “you play the hand you are dealt”.
He went on to say that he went to Croke Park with Michael Larkin in April 2017 and got advice from them and Galway GAA’s registered auditors Proinsias Kitt.
After a long and painful process over the past 18 months, it was time time to move forward he said.
Despite this news about financial mismanagement, the income of Galway GAA has grown massively in the past few years.
In 2012 the county took in  €2,973,260 which has jumped by nearly €2 million to this year.
This year Galway GAA earned €4,947,133 with success stories like the junior hurlers taking home their second back to back All-Ireland and the senior hurlers making it to the All-Ireland final.
