Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Is GAA now a tout for Government?

Those of us concerned with the continued intrusiveness of the nanny state into all aspects of our lives and the increased snooping of the organs of the State into the minutiae of our existence must be extremely alarmed at the reported requirements of the proposals on amateurism currently under consideration.And one must wonder if the soul of the organisation is being sold,.as the Country has been, for the few shekels thrown the way of the GAA by the money men,in the form of grants .
According to an article by Colm Keys in the Irish Independent today February 22nd.2012 Option 2 of Padraic Duffy's Report on Amateurism is the Option favoured by the stronger counties.This involves :-
1.The establishment of a registration and audit board in Croke Park.
2.This committee have to be supplied with the RSI Number or the Northern Ireland equivalent of every manager and selector who wants to get involved with a club or county team.
3.Prospective managers,selectors and all backroom members must submit their names ,addresses and dates of birth and RSI numbers to Croke Park for inspection by November 30th.(For County Teams seemingly).
4.Clubs have to do likewise for local committees before 30th January.
5.Heavy fines and/or suspensionwill be imposed for inaccurate information.
A number of questions of the most serious nature arise.
(a)Why in the name of God  would you give  details of your RSI Number to anyone else in a situation where you were not obliged to so do by law is beyond me.It is more important than your Bank PIN  number and should only be disclosed in either a job situation or a Social Welfare situation.
(b)Has this proposal evolved as a result or in conjunction with the recent headlines concerning Revenue's intention to crack down on under the counter payments.
(3)Will Revenue have the right of inspection of this information?(My informed opinion is that it would)
(4) To what extent do these proposals reflect the requirements of Revenue.
(5) What legally enforceable guarantee is there that this information will not be shared with anyone else and do all members of the GAA having access to the information have to swear an oath similar to the Official Secrets Act (which Civil Servants having access to such information swear) that they will not disclose the information to anyone else.
(6) In the event that it is disclosed who do you sue.
Will the GAA shop you to Revenue if irregularities come to light and is the Association inculcating an informer culture as Government Departments are so actively doing these days.
Would you be utterly brain dead to volunteer for any position in the Gaa either local or at County level if it involved supplying this most secret and personal information ,which could easily ruin you.
Remember the word "audit" is used as a threat in most Revenue documents and anyone who has been subject to one will never forget it.
It is no secret that Government and its services have destroyed the most important thing entrusted to it, ,the Country .Are you willing to allow like minded autocrats and bureaucrats  to take over the Association and ruin it also.
Is it not enough that our amateurs have submitted to the  humiliation of dope testing in order to be good boys I assume.
I am fully aware that many legislators owe their popularity to the exploits ,either on or off the field .of themselves or their relatives.Many current legislators and civil servants have dual roles in the Gaa and the State. You can only serve one master however.
Which master is being served here.
How this proceeds has the capacity to destroy the GAA at worst,or at best make it into a vassal for the Government of the day.
Finally how long until the RSI Numbers of stewards and referees will be demanded and passed on.

No comments:

Post a Comment