Siptu frustrated with CEO no-show at FAI meeting over redundancies 

A general view of the Football Association of Ireland Offices. Photo by Matt Browne/Sportsfile

A Siptu spokesperson has described a meeting with the FAI over redundancies as 'frustrating', expressing regret that there was no appearance from FAI CEO David Courell. 

Last month, the FAI announced plans for a voluntary redundancy programme and potentially move towards compulsory job losses in what it described as the start of "a significant transformation programme to modernise how football is developed and delivered in Ireland".

Siptu members in the FAI suspended any consideration of industrial action relating to the redundancies until after a meeting with FAI management, scheduled for Thursday.

The FAI was represented at the meeting by chief operating officer Christina Kenny and HR director Aoife Rafferty.

However, Siptu spokesperson, services divisional organiser Adrian Kane, was frustrated by the lack of detail from the FAI. 

"Regrettably, the CEO wasn't at the meeting. We put our demands to management," Kane said. 

"We're looking for a copy of the plan, we're looking for the scale of voluntary redundancies that are being sought. We're looking for direct negotiations with management.

"And we've also informed management that we will not accept compulsory redundancies.

"It was quite a frustrating meeting because we didn't get answers to those questions that we posed.

"Management have looked for time and informed us that they will come back to us next week to respond to our demands. We will convene a general meeting of members then to decide what our next steps are.

"I can not stress enough of the need to organise more workers to ensure we have a positive outcome to these negotiations."