Limerick GAA officers have defended a spend over €1million on preparing inter-county hurling and football teams in 2015.
The figure is an increase of €257,160 on 2014, despite the fact that the senior hurlers and footballers made earlier exits in the season just gone than in previous campaigns.
A Limerick Leader report on Monday night's annual convention quoted county treasurer Donal Morrissey, who outlined that the financing of county teams now requires an increasing spend.
"If we want to compete at the highest level, if we want to prepare our teams as best as possible and try and get them over the line, you are looking at a budget of €1m for four football and four hurling teams," he said.
"The preparation of inter-county teams requires spend and I just can’t see that being achieved by taking money off it" - Donal Morrissey
"To get to where we are at and if you want to be on the winning side, the expenses of county teams in Tipperary is €1.4m, the expenses of county teams in Cork, and I don’t think they have won a whole pile in recent years, is a similar figure.
"We have to resource the teams as teams expect to be resourced. You take the big ticket items, like facility hire and medical expenses, they are all well managed. When Mick Neville Park is completed, perhaps we will move more of our training from UL back there. The preparation of inter-county teams requires spend and I just can’t see that being achieved by taking money off it.”
In supporting Morrissey, county secretary Mike O'Riordan added: "It might be a big figure, but I couldn’t see it being reduced when you look at the volume of players we have in the system at minor, U-21 and senior level. We just have to source more revenue streams.
"We had a number of players who required surgery this year. We had a physio at every single training. It is important to note that the U-21 hurlers carried a panel of 40 - each player was given equal opportunity in making the team and match-day squad. Every player was fed, kitted out."
In his report to the convention, O'Riordan also made reference to the Gaelic Grounds, stating that the venue "has become a burden and financial issue for the board and that the the lack of championship games at the venue is a major concern."
Only one Munster SHC game was played there this year - and there are no guarantees of a game in 2016.
