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"GAA congress is not fit for purpose" - Cahair O'Kane

Assessing the conclusions wrought from the GAA's annual congress last weekend, Cahair O'Kane rema...
Arthur James O'Dea
Arthur James O'Dea

09.39 26 Feb 2019


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"GAA congress is not fit...

"GAA congress is not fit for purpose" - Cahair O'Kane

Arthur James O'Dea
Arthur James O'Dea

09.39 26 Feb 2019


Share this article


Assessing the conclusions wrought from the GAA's annual congress last weekend, Cahair O'Kane remains adamant that such a mechanism for change is no longer "fit for purpose."

Regarding the most highly-publicised motion of the 2019 congress, Donegal's failed attempt to limit counties to one 'home' fixture in the Super 8 series raised serious questions about the efficiency of congress in relaying the wishes of GAA members at large.

"As a democratic body, it has become a complete shambles," O'Kane stated on Tuesday's OTB AM.

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"It bears no resemblance to the public opinion and ultimately the idea of a democratic body is that it is supposed to reflect public opinion.

"The delegates that are going there to vote should be mandated. [Realistically], there shouldn't even be a need for congress.

Proposing a system whereby the county boards, mandated by their clubs, simply send in their votes on the relevant motion, O'Kane identified the inherent flaw of the current system.

"The idea of having a debate on the floor of congress is wrong," O'Kane stressed, "because everybody going there should already know what way they are going to vote on each motion because they should have a mandate [from the county's clubs].

In a moment of astonishing secrecy, the 2018 GAA congress witnessed delegate overwhelmingly reject a motion that called for transparency throughout the voting process.

With this, O'Kane believes, the system was shown to be flawed beyond all realistic hope.

"I think congress completely lost all credibility at that point," O'Kane stated, "the fact that such an overwhelming majority of the body of delegates voted against transparency."

"It can't be deemed fit for purpose anymore because it's not doing what it's supposed to do.

"The delegates are going off their own bats ... God knows how they're voting."

Joining O'Kane on OTB AM this morning, former Meath footballer Anthony Moyles reflected on his previous experiences as an active member at the GAA congress.

"I would never go again, there is absolutely no point," noted Anthony who participated in a failed motion regarding the Club Players Association at the 2018 congress.


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