Congress approves Affiliations motion

Congress 2013 Report

Annual Camogie Congress of 2013 in Westport, Co Mayo will go down as a memorable one for the Camogie Association. At Hotel Westport the passing of Motion 11- Individual Affiliation Fees per member was passed with a 72% majority which the Camogie Association hope will provide a solid footing for the future.

Over the past number of months all counties and clubs have viewed presentations on the proposed Affiliation scheme which will see each member pay an affiliation fee to the Camogie Association from 2014 and this was passed by more than the required two thirds majority.  In line with this new scheme the registration dates for clubs, counties and provinces has been put back to allow this process to run more smoothly.

At present, each club pays a €300 affiliation fee to the Camogie Association that covers all its members. From next year, each adult member will pay €23, with €5 of that retained by the county board, €2 by the provincial council and the rest entering central coffers.

The fee for youth members will be €13. Again, the relevant county board will retain €5, with €2 going to the provincial council and the remainder belonging to the Camogie Association. The result will be that whereas membership is responsible for just 10% of the association’s income at present, that percentage will increase to 29% of a greater overall figure.

“This is a huge move away from where we are” said the Camogie Association’s acting director-general, Mary O’Connor. “We have time to plan what we want to do but a lot of the money will be earmarked for development. The certainty of knowing what the revenue will be will allow county boards and the provinces to plan year-on-year.”

“The focus on development will be on a broad level, not just games. Raising the profile of the games and investing in good governance will be important too. But certainly, we will be looking to support coaching courses and putting programmes in place so that the costs aren’t prohibiting people who want to play camogie.”

There was disappointment for Ulster Camogie when a motion aimed at reducing the number of half way venue games for our counties was defeated. Despite some passionate plea’s from Ulster Delegate Rosemary Hughes Merry, Jennifer Cultra of Down, Antrim Chairperson Una O’Halloran and Down Senior Player Fionnuala Carr the motion came only a couple of votes short of the two thirds required. All-Ireland Club Semi-Finals will remain on a home and away basis following a Wexford motion calling for them to move to half way venues was defeated (76% against).

A Wexford motion to bring the Club Championships into the calendar year was defeated as Croke Park would not be available to host games in December however their motion to reduce the mandatory purchase of All-Ireland Final tickets from three to two was passed. Hosting of the Gael Linn competition on an annual basis remains unchanged despite a motion to make it optional from Ard Chomhairle. Small sided games will remain at U12 level after a motion from Connacht Council to change to U11 failed.

Provincial Councils will now have until the end of November to play their Senior and Intermediate Club Championship Semi-Finals whilst Provincial Junior Championships must still be played off by end of October. Players/officials and mentors dismissed from the field of play now have the option to accept their mandatory penalty set out in An Treoraí Oifigiúil rather than having to wait for their hearing to take place.

Congress 2014 will take place at an Ulster venue next March