FAI council may be replaced with new assembly

The FAI will move to scrap their senior council for a 131-strong general assembly at an EGM on January 11.

Members were informed by outgoing CEO Gary Owens on the proposal which follows on from a new electoral code they ratified in August.

The key change will see the senior council — which had been expanded to 79 members — give way to a larger general assembly. That forum — according to Owens — will be the supreme body for decision-making in Irish football.

Under the proposals, a maximum of 150 personnel make up the assembly, in three equal segments of 50. The professional arm, mainly League of Ireland, will be the first, the second for amateur football and the last being national bodies and special interest groups. They have so far identified 131 places.

Five new football committees are to be populated: the international/high performance, national leagues, amateur and youth, underage and the women’s strategic committee. Gender balance remains a major priority.

The EGM will also be asked to change of board to increase the independent directors from four to six, with two footballing directors having to step down. The casting vote will switch from the independent chairman Roy Barrett to FAI president Gerry McAnaney, who is elected through football channels.

Meanwhile, the FAI has cancelled the remainder of the League of Ireland U13 and U15 seasons under instruction from the Irish Sports Council and HSE.