Fermanagh finances see deficit in the last year

In his preparatory remarks, Fermanagh GAA Treasurer, Sean Burns, said it had been a difficult year financially.

Burns said that preparation of all county football and hurling teams has seen increasing costs in the provision of playing gear, pitch hire and maintenance, food and medical physio cover.

The standardisation of salaries for coaching staff through the C&G HR plan from Croke Park has also added cost to the county.

And whilst income from championship and commercial income has remained steady he said he believed there was a need for a dedicated person to pursue commercial opportunities given the extended county season.

The Treasurer also paid a warm tribute to Club Éirne and its leader Ger Treacy for the huge role they play in funding the county.

In figure terms the finances of Fermanagh County Board have gone from a surplus of £321,394 for last year to a defecit of £19,952 for this year.

But there is a solid explanation for the marked difference as the hugely successful Club Éirne house draw helped bring in a total of £525,867.

The total income for this year was £996,060 and expenditure was £1,016,021 as compared to a total income for last year which was £1,300,417 with expenditure at £979,023.

Auditor Des Crudden told the meeting that but for Club Éirne the county would have had a deficit last year of £123,000 and this year it would have been £158,000.

On the various sources of income and expenditure gate receipts had a healthy rise from £98,386 last year to £138,340 which was £40,000 of an increase.

Commercial Income increased from £77,275 to £107,408 an increase in the region of £30,000.

The stand-out figure here was the reduction in fundraising activities from £525,867 to £231,030 which is a difference of almost £295,000.

This was due to the outstanding success of last year’s house draw which was run by Club Éirne.

And Club Éirne handed over £138,650.99 to the county board this year.

Last year the figure was a £444,955 from the draw and the rest was club levies of £80,912 which made a total of £525,867.

Income from Associated Bodies fell from £480,389 to £392,557.

On the expenditure side, county teams cost almost half a million with the cost coming in at £498,515 an increase from last year’s figure of £482,827.

The cost of coaching and games development also went up from £206,467 to £230,426.

And while there was a natural hiatus from last year, the county is looking forward to Club Éirne’s exciting new lotto as well as other fundraising plans.