The Mazars audit of Galway GAA has turned up 17 high risk scenarios and has recommended the employment of a “senior finance person”.
The results of the audit have been released on the back of pressure applied by Galway sponsors Supermac’s, who issued two separate statements on the matter, though the county board insisted last week that the report would be circulated in any event.
In addition to the 17 high risk findings, there were 18 adjudged to be medium risk and four low risk.
The high risk scenarios surrounded issues like credit card management, ticketing, gate receipts, signing of blank cheques, lack of checks on expense claims and supplier invoices, with various expenses apparently paid despite a lack of receipts.
It was also noted how electronic fund transfers of up to €18,500 could be made without secondary approval.
The report observed that there was an “absence of appropriate financial oversight and control over the financial activities” of the Galway county board, and that the financial controls “were not sufficient to ensure that the sampled income and expenditure was complete, accurate and appropriate”.
Mazars recommended that, going forward, Galway county board should “ensure that there is defined appropriate oversight and approval over all financial operations”.
Ticketing controls also need to be tightened, they said, while the “employment of a senior finance person with experience of accounting and ticketing systems and the application of accounting and control principles” is also required.
If you haven't already, be sure to like our Irish Mirror Sport and Irish Mirror GAA pages on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
