Back at annual convention in 2005 Limerick GAA was to the forefront when club delegates voted in favour of creating a paid post of County Board Secretary.
West Limerick GAA club St. Kieran's proposed the change which received almost unanimous backing from the club delegates. The job advert, which appeared in newspapers prior to Christmas 2006 outlined the job description and at the January 2007 County Board meeting it was confirmed that the pay structure would be similar to that of a 'middle-ranking civil servant' and amount to between €50,000 and €60,000.
Three people applied for the job and that March, the position was offered to long serving secretary, Jimmy Hartigan. However, the Ballybrown man performed a surprise u-turn and declined the job. The idea of a full-time official was then shelved. However, at last week's August's County Board meeting, the subject reappeared.
"I am asking for permission to go away and put the structures in place to get a full-time secretary," stated chairman Liam Lenihan.
Croke Park are expected to announce new guidelines for paid GAA officials in about six weeks at which point Limerick will push ahead with their plans.

County ground
THE Castletown-Ballyagran GAA club have applied for their ground to be given 'county ground status'.
At present, the Gaelic Grounds, Fitzgerald Park Kilmallock and Bruff are the three nominated venues to host Limerick inter-county games.
The request from Castletown-Ballyagran makes it opportune for a debate on the issue. In recent years, a similar request was made by Newcastle West GAA club.
The Gaelic Grounds must remain, leaving a battle for the other two spots - unless Limerick GAA officials are push for a further allocation. The current venues of Bruff and Kilmallock are six miles from each other.
Castletown-Ballyagran are unfortunate that their geographic location is within a 15 mile radius of both the current 'county grounds'. Ideally, a venue at either side of the county would make sense.
I am sure there are other venues aside from Bruff, Kilmallock and Castletown-Ballyagran that may wish to throw their hats into the ring for the south-east side of the county. Back in the west of the county Newcastle West is the leading candidate.
However, with plans for an all-weather playing surface and spectator stand in Mick Neville Park Rathkeale that facility could also be an option.
Clearly, some hard decisions will have to be made.

Richie Bennis
RICHIE Bennis was none too happy with an article in the Limerick Leader last month and while we agree to differ on that one he can certainly feel hard done-by by a number of articles last Wednesday.
'Bennis bites the dust' was the headline on RTE's online edition, while 'Bennis dismissed as Limerick hurling manager' was the headline on the Irish Independent website.
Limerick GAA has certainly done its share of sacking, but to be fair to the legacy of Richie Bennis he was not sacked/dismissed as Limerick senior hurling manager.
It's plain and simple - the two-year term of Bennis ended with the All-Ireland qualifier defeat to Offaly.
While Richie may not want to be interviewed by the Limerick Leader at present he did speak to a number of newspapers last week as well as appearing on Newstalk radio and RTE television' Road to Croker.
Each time he reaffirmed his wish to continue as Limerick manager and I have no doubt that he will receive a nomination to fill what is now a vacant position.