Oireachtas committee votes not to question Delaney

TDs have backed down from questioning FAI chief executive John Delaney about the €5m Fifa payment after being told that they would be overstepping their remit and could face legal action.

Members of the Oireachtas Committee on Sport have confirmed they spoke by phone with Mr Delaney before yesterday’s meeting, where a motion to ask him to appear before them was defeated. The reprieve for Mr Delaney, who told the committee in writing the €5m was fully accounted for under Irish tax law, comes ahead of Saturday’s crucial Euro 2016 qualifier against Scotland.

Committee sources last night confirmed that members, during their private meeting, said they had spoken to Mr Delaney in recent days prior to the vote on bringing him in.

The committee was advised by Oireachtas officials and the Department of Sport not to seek Mr Delaney’s attendance. Sources said the €5m was considered “private money” for the FAI.

“We could not compel John, only ask him. This was the procedural advice we got. It is not in our remit.”

The ‘verbal vote’ on requesting Mr Delaney’s attendance was proposed by Oireachtas Committee chairman John O’Mahony.

Advice given to members was that they could face “a legal risk” if they exceeded their remit. The situation was compared to that of former Rehab chief Angela Kerins, who is suing the Public Accounts Committee for allegedly acting unlawfully when looking into her remuneration with the charity.

While not all 21 members of the committee were present, the vast majority voted against calling in Mr Delaney. Committee sources said Sinn Féin TD Dessie Ellis, Fianna Fáil TD Timmy Dooley and Fine Gael senator Eamonn Coghlan confirmed they had spoken to Mr Delaney ahead of the meeting. The three were among those who voted against bringing in the FAI chief, sources confirmed.

Mr Ellis said he was not influenced by his conversation with Mr Delaney.

“I spoke to him a couple of times, advising him to send in material,” he said.

Mr Dooley last night said he had spoken to Mr Delaney and advised him to send material to the committee.

However, he stressed the football chief did not try to influence him. “Absolutely not. This is done and dusted for the moment, as there is nothing in it.”

Mr Coghlan did not return calls.

Mr O’Mahony also confirmed he spoke to Mr Delaney ahead of the meeting but that the FAI chief did “not influence” proceedings.

“Members are able to make up their own mind. I’m happy with the decision of the committee.”

The committee would consider asking Mr Delaney in at a future occasion to discuss the FAI’s spending of public money, he said.

Mr Delaney told the committee, by letter, the €5m from Fifa was part of a contractual agreement, was invested entirely in the Aviva Stadium and was in the FAI accounts from 2010 to 2013.