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A former County Committee delegate recently stated that the Central Council's Management Executive and its sub-committees, whose decisions must be ratified by Central Council, do so without providing any reasons for their actions. 

So, the Management Executive & sub-committees like the Rules Advisory Committee are given the power to govern over most areas of the GAA, including County Bye-laws, but do not have to accept responsibilty for their actions, because when their decisions are ratified  by Central Council (without reasons been given) accoutability shifts from the few to the many.

Meanwhile these few can also choose not to do their job, and may never be brought to account!

IF IT'S NOT A DEMOCRATIC ORGANISATION, BUT RATHER A DICTATORSHIP, JUST COME OUT AND SAY SO.....

[the GAA "shall take all practical steps to protect them (children) from all discernible forms of abuse, from harm, discrimination or degrading treatment, and shall respect their rights, wishes and feelings."]

Congress is the GAA's ultimate democratic decision making power, yet what happens when Congress is over?  Is all the hard work of the delegates ignored?

Let's look at Congress motions dealing with "parish rule".
Special Congress 2002
Motion passed giving approval to the establishment of a sub-committee to examine numerous recommendations made by Strategic Review Committee inc. flaws with the "parish rule":
"County Committees should relax, or even replace, 'the parish rule', where its relevance in determining 'community' has decreased, and should introduce bye-laws to define the geographic boundaries for club membership."

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?  There is no evidence that ANY action was taken.

Special Congress 2004
Motion No. 1, Recommendation 13 was passed, and the minutes record the following:
"Transfers and Declarations - Association's Ethos
It is recommended that a new Rule be included at the beginning of the Section of the O.G. governing Transfers and Declarations, as a Preamble to these Rules, setting out the Association's ethos in these matters.
Reason:
In the light of legal challenges in the Courts to the Transfer Rules in particular, it is important to set out in Rule the Association's ethos in these matters.

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?  A new has been indeed introduced - Rule 6.1.  Sadly, this rule has FAILED to achieve its purpose, being "the fact that young people come into the organisation voluntarily" along with the situation "that people do owe a loyalty and a debt to the people who introduced them to our games", as recorded in the minutes.   There are numerous rules that directly conflict with new rule:

• Rule 6.3 defines Home Club, but fails to accommodate for children up to 10yrs who voluntarily join their local club;
• Rule 6.8(b), i.e. the "parish rule", contradicts with this new rule as it gives the GAA the option to ignore communities in favour of catchment areas based on parish boundaries (Roman Catholic religion only, of course), resulting in splitting communities;
• Rule 1.13(a) clearly states that the GAA "shall take all practical steps to protect them (children) from all discernible forms of abuse, from harm, discrimination or degrading treatment, and shall respect their rights, wishes and feelings."   This new rule as passed at Congress 2004 could have assisted in respecting children's wishes to play in their local community along with their neighbours & school friends.  Unfortunately, the new rule's ambiguous wording, along with definition of Home Club and the "parish rule", still allows for children to be refused permission to continue playing with their friends when they hit 10yrs;
• Rule 1.4(a) sets outs some of the aims of the GAA, including that it shall "assist in promoting a community spirit through its clubs."  This new rule could have assisted Clubs to promote a community spirit as was intended.  Instead its ambiguous wording still allows for communities to be split!

Congress 2008
The Committee Report to Congress included the report of the Membership Task Force, the aim to examine the issues pertaining to the area of membership incl. "parish rule", stating "the committee has met on six occasions and is currently working on a set of recommendations."

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?  There is no evidence that ANY action was taken.

So when this 5-star weekend 's over and everyone has gone home, who'll implement the motions passed by Congress?  The rule book says it's Central Council's job & conversely it should also be held to account it fails, whether intentionally or as an oversight.  BUT WHO HOLDS CENTRAL COUNCIL TO ACCOUNT?  In theory it's the role of Congress, but in the instances set out above this hasn't happened.

But what happens in the situation where the Bye-Laws splits a club in two almost 95 years after the club was established, after the County Board had already officially acknowledged that the club is spread across parts of two "parishes"?

I understand the concerns of smaller clubs that players would be 'poached' by bigger, more successful clubs but the example you've used could be the wrong one.  Portlaoise already shares a catchment area or "parish" with three other clubs.  There have been a few cases where players transfered, within the Bye-Laws, from the smaller club to the bigger club, but it doesnt appear to be a huge issue.

There are many other clubs in Laois that share these "parishes" and the only thing stopping players leaving smaller clubs to join neighbouring, bigger clubs is the goodwill between the clubs & the loyalty of club members!  Yet in the case of Ballypickas, club members & their families cannot continue to be loyal because these "parish" boundaries split the club!

So, I repeat, can loyalty be forced? Should it not be earned?

Pickas, would you be advocating a situation where any player can play for any club they want?

AZOffaly
Yes I'm advocating that situation.  What kind of club would you end up with if players were forced to play with you against their will?  Would they play?

In our club, Ballypickas, an entire family has left the GAA, both hurling and football, because they would not accept the County Board's decision to SPLIT THE FAMILY!   What is being gained by their inconsistent, unreasonable decisions? Where is the leadership from Croke Park?

The O'Sullivan boys, as with the underage kids in Ballypickas, have only played GAA with their local club at Under-8 & Under-10 level.
In Ballypickas, kids play hurling with their club from 6 years of age.  Then at Under-12 level they must play with another club, just because they live on the 'wrong' side of an invisible line that splits a club that has been there since 1915.

By the way, for the second day running the GAA website's Daily News page has missed the chance to report on the high-profile "parish rule" case that made ALL the papers yesterday, even though it's tag-line is:
"Catch up on all the latest news, views and GAA-related rumours in www.gaa.ie's latest daily feature, GAA In the Papers."
OOPS!

http://gaa.ie/gaa-news-and-videos/daily-news/2/1307111022-wednesdays-gaa-in-the-papers/

Why is it a case of "us v. them"?
Are we not all part of the GAA?
Are those with the power to enact and enforce rules acting responsibly if they choose to continually ignore the aims and the values of the GAA?

Also, as more influential committees within the administrative structure of the GAA have apparently chosen to ignore flaws with  the "parish rule" following the 'Strategic Review' in 2002, how can lower levels of this organization enact effective and lasting change to the "parish rule" without leadership?

Can loyalty be forced? Should it not be earned?
"Loyalty is a feature in a boy's character that inspires boundless hope." Sir Robert Baden-Powel

Is the GAA a community based organisation or a parish based organisation?
The fact is that it that it cannot be both  If the GAA truly believes the parish is the 'cornerstone' of the organisation this "parish rule" could be made an enforceable rule in the Official Guide, rather than an option as it currently stands.  But to do so, it would have to remove all references to community, including the following:
Mission:
"The GAA is a community based volunteer organisation promoting Gaelic games, culture and lifelong participation"
Values:
Community Identity
• Community is at the heart of our Association.   Everything we do helps to enrich the communities we serve.
• We foster a clear sense of identity and place.

[This could have been prevented!]

The enforcement of any catchment area, including a parish, is not a requirement of the rules of the GAA.  However, it is a requirement of the rules to promote "Gaelic Games and pastimes", and to promote "a community spirit through its clubs."
There is a similar case in Ballypickas, Laois, where the Club, community & families are split by unnecessary enforcement of "parish rule" and people have left the GAA!
Problems with the "parish rule" continue, resulting in people leaving the GAA and High Court cases.  This could have been prevented!
Flaws with the "parish rule" were highlighted in 2002 by GAA President & experienced officials from Central & Provincial levels, & recommendations were ignored.
These high-level officials seem to have adopted 'ostrich' management - if they ignore the problem long enough it will go away.  We all know this doesn't work!