Ross anticipates 'fresh constructive dialogue' with new-look FAI
Minister for Sport Shane Ross has tonight welcomed the appointment of Independent directors to the board of the FAI.
Earlier, the FAI had announced the appointment of Roy Barrett, the MD of Goodbody Stockbrokers, as their new Independent Chairman. Catherine Guy, CEO of Autolease Fleet Management Limited (Sixt Leasing), and Liz Joyce, HR Director at the Central Bank, have also joined the Board as Independent Directors with, according to the Association, a fourth independent director to be appointed in the coming weeks.
Responding to the development, Minister Ross said: "I welcome the appointment of the Independent directors to the board of the FAI. I am looking forward to a fresh, constructive dialogue opening between the new FAI and the government. The board will now be fully refreshed with the entire old guard removed. I am hopeful that all stakeholders will now be able to pursue a common goal of root and branch reform, of changing the culture of the FAI and ensuring that grass roots football , players , staff and volunteers are all protected."
And in further encouraging words for the embattled Association, Minister Brendan Griffin said: "This evening’s appointments, along with the final appointment to happen shortly, will mean that a fully refreshed Board is in place in the FAI, under an independent Chairman. It is clear to me that the required competence is now in place which will allow us to consider how best to help the FAI to move on.”
The new appointments were ratified at a meeting of the FAI Board this evening, following recommendations received from the Nominations Committee. In a statement, the Association noted that the appointment of an Independent Chairperson and three Independent Directors is a cornerstone of the Governance Review Group report published last July.
Roy Barrett said: “I have decided to take on the role of Non-Executive Chairman of the FAI at this critical time because I believe the organisation has an important role to play in developing the game at every level in Ireland.
“There is a serious job of work to be done to address the very significant failures which have beset the organisation in terms of its governance and its finances. The new Board will now deal with this task with urgency, working collaboratively with its stakeholders.”
FAI President Donal Conway, who will step down later this month, said: “This is another milestone in the reform of the FAI and I am delighted to welcome Roy Barrett, Catherine Guy and Liz Joyce to the Board at this critical juncture.
“Roy, Catherine and Liz are outstanding candidates with skillsets which will bring real strengths to the Board. The appointment of an Independent Chairperson and Independent Directors is a significant step for the Association as it looks to restore public and government confidence in Irish football.
“I wish our new Chairperson and Independent Directors well and I would like to thank the Nominations Committee, Amrop and Sport Ireland for their work in getting the Association to this point.”
