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By Tom Kelly Mayo County GAA Board is £200,000 in the red. . .over £70,000 more than originally estimated. And there is a deficit of £38,000 relating to the sale of football championship tickets. The shock figures came to light following a specially convened meeting of the board's executive committee over Christmas. Concern was expressed at the fact a sum of £108,000 was paid out to fund three holidays in one year for members of the Mayo senior team. These overseas trips took place despite the board's tight financial situation. Now urgent moves have been launched to account for the tickets discrepancy. It is now estimated that total liabilities amounted to £200,000 which is significantly worse than the £126,000 deficit outlined at the annual convention of the organisation last month. Members were told of a shortfall of £38,000 between what they collected for match tickets sold during the year and the amount they owed to Croke Park. The sum of £38,000 is understood to relate to complimentary tickets for teams, officials and sponsors for the entire championship run. It included tickets for referees and extra tickets for players which were deducted from their expenses. It is also understood a significant sum is owed to the county board by clubs for match tickets. A cheque of £176,028 has been written by the board to cover the cost of tickets from Croke Park. But the money cannot be drawn down as the amount exceeded the board's overdraft limit of £45,000. It has been revealed that money collected for tickets was used for day to day spending. Executive members were also told that £108,000 was spent on three holidays for the Mayo team in the space of 12 months. A trip to London in 1996 cost £30,000 while a sum of £38,000 was paid to cover a holiday in Tunisia early last year. It is estimated the cost of the vacation in Florida last month will come to £40,000. In response to the complaint, a high ranking official pointed out at the meeting that holidays were part and parcel of the GAA and that grants given were for holidays only and could not be spent for other purposes. The Mayo County Board had received £20,000 from Croke Park towards the Florida trip and £10,000 for the break in Tunisia. The board was also given a further £10,000 from a donor to help fund the holiday in Tunisia. An income of £44,000 was raised by the Friends of Mayo, but a sum of £20,000 was owed to the Burlington Hotel, Dublin, for food.
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