Alan Kelly expresses 'deep concern' as FAI refuse to attend Oireachtas sitting

DEEP CONCERN: Alan Kelly, chairman of the Oireachtas committee responsible for sport, will inform the minister of his “deep concern” at the FAI’s refusal to attend next Wednesday’s scheduled session at Kildare Street.

Alan Kelly, chairman of the Oireachtas committee responsible for sport, will inform the minister of his “deep concern” at the FAI’s refusal to attend next Wednesday’s scheduled session at Kildare Street.

Despite the FAI confirming their participation in the sitting, at the second attempt, their position shifted after the committee invited three additional witnesses, including former Ireland women’s manager Eileen Gleeson.

She has lodged an action against her employers alleging gender discrimination and inequality of pay across senior international team management. The FAI deny the claims but have yet to submit their defence to the civil court.

Labour TD Kelly insists the scope of the probe has not changed from the original ‘safeguarding’ theme despite calling upon additional witnesses, Gleeson as well as Kirsten Pakes, the FAI’s head of safeguarding, and Gareth Maher, media manager of the FAI women’s squad.

The initial invite was tabled after concerns emerged about the association’s handling of the allegations around historical abuse of female players.

Horrific cases were detailed in last year’s joint investigation by RTÉ and the Sunday Independent but the timeline on the FAI’s awareness of the specifics was questioned following the emergence of internal emails.

This standoff with the Government comes at a critical time for the FAI. Their reliance on State aid has continued since the bailout of early 2020 and the success of the request for €8m-per-annum of funding to be pumped into the academy system will be answered on Budget Day, October 8.

Additionally, a redundancy programme to reduce their 245 workforce by up to a third has caught the attention of public representatives worried development officers will bear the cost of reckless spend on managerial recruitment and consultants.

Last week, FAI chief executive David Courell confirmed that himself, chairman Tony Keohane, president Paul Cooke and HR Director Aoife Rafferty would attend the showdown. They had previously cited an ongoing Garda Siochana investigation for the deferral but clearly their dismay at extra witnesses entrenched their stance.

“The nature of this request gives us further reason to doubt the committee’s intentions,” said Courell in his email to Kelly on Friday, just five days out from the rescheduled gathering.

Cooke affirmed the FAI’s position in his correspondence to members, stating: “We are willing and prepared to discuss with the committee its policies and procedures on safeguarding as this is a priority area within Irish football.

“However, it is clear, from correspondence from the committee, that we cannot be assured that specifics of any case will not be discussed and the association cannot be put in a position that may prejudice an ongoing investigation by An Garda Síochana.” Tipperary North TD Kelly didn’t accept the FAI’s latest delaying ploy.

“The FAI are funded by the taxpayer and were requested to come before the Committee next week to discuss safeguarding concerns among other matters,” he said.

“It is deeply worrying that the FAI on Friday afternoon withdrawn from this scheduled appearance at our committee.

“The letter the committee received from the FAI does not in any way explain why they have chosen to take this course. It seems to question the intentions of the committee which is unacceptable and indeed unprecedented.

“The scope of the meeting hasn’t changed in any way. It is deeply concerning that the only thing that has changed is a request from committee members for three additional witnesses. It seems that as a result of this the FAI have made this decision. That is the only conclusion that can be drawn.

“In the FAI correspondence, there is a constant reference to the ‘stated position’ of An Garda Siochana in relation to some FAI related issues being investigated. These are not a matter for the Committee. The operation of an Oireachtas Committee isn’t a matter for An Garda Siochana either.

“No Oireachtas Committee would ever operate if a precedent was set by the manner in which the FAI have used such Garda correspondence in its refusal to attend the Oireachtas Committee. The committee will have to consider this in further, greater detail.

“Finally, we will also have to correspond with the Minister for Sport in relation to all these matters given that the taxpayer, through the Government, ultimately funds the FAI.”