Despite their flagship team, the senior footballers, bowing out four weeks earlier than the previous year, total team administration costs for Dublin came to €1,774,137, up from €1,713,698 in 2023 when they were All-Ireland champions.
Donegal’s team costs, covering football and hurling, came to €1,861,737 up from €1,262,495 as the senior footballers made it to an All-Ireland semi-final. But revenue streams were also up significantly, €736,844 from €507,584 for commercial and €527,447 for fundraising up from €34,394.
Dublin took in €5,840,705 in income, of which €2,055,474 was commercial revenue while €1,159,817 was spent on coaching and games development.
The figures come as county chairs, secretaries and treasurers prepare for an online meeting this evening with GAA management to discuss ongoing Revenue risk reviews that a number of counties are engaged in.
Last week Galway and Mayo served notice that they were not in a position to sign off on their 2024 accounts because of the uncertain financial picture ahead, arising out of the audits.
At least four counties are under audit with a number facing similar reviews in the coming months and Croke Park wants to issue guidance to all counties on the matter.
GAA director general Tom Ryan told RTÉ that Croke Park would be engaging with Revenue in the hope of finding a way forward and some consistency.
“The Inspector of Taxes has raised a few concerns in a small number of counties,” he said.
“We are engaging with those counties, they have some work to do. We will help guide those counties through that process.
“We will also be engaging with the Revenue Commissioners and hope we can arrive at a satisfactory conclusion.
“To the extent that the issues are the same in each of the counties, I’m not entirely sure that they are,” added Ryan.
“It’s important that there is a degree of consistency in approach and the best way for us centrally is to offer some guidance to counties as they navigate their way through that process.”
In their communication with counties, the GAA advises that Revenue interest includes Covid payments through the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme and Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme that helped keep sporting organisations and many businesses solvent during the pandemic.
Revenue wants to establish if those payments were commensurate with what they should have been.
