Call for Delaney to quit rejected

A Fine Gael backbencher has received a strong rebuke from two senior ministers over his calls for John Delaney to resign. Tánaiste Simon Coveney and Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan have hit out at Dublin North-West TD Noel Rock after he called on the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) chief executive to step down.

Mr Delaney has been asked to come before the Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism, and Sport to provide “urgent clarity” on the circumstances of his alleged €100,000 bridging loan to his own organisation. The FAI has claimed that it received the loan at a time when it had a short-term cashflow issue, but Sport Ireland has said it was never made aware of any financial issues.