6 days ago
FAI seek to postpone Wednesday's Oireachtas committee hearing
The
Football Association of Ireland
have requested a four-week deferment of their scheduled appearance before the Oireachtas sport committee.
Senior members of the Association are due in Leinster House on Wednesday but have sought more time due to 'the complexity introduced by the committee seeking material that relates directly to an ongoing Garda investigation'.
The FAI also requested that the 'scope of the session is clearly defined'.
The Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media has been approached for a response.
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The ongoing Garda investigation relates to allegations against former male coaches of inappropriate relationships with female players and unwanted sexual advances dating back to the 1990s.
The allegations were first made public last year by a joint project by RTÉ Investigates and the Sunday Independent. Gardaí have confirmed they are investigating at least one complaint concerning the matter.
The former coaches have denied any wrongdoing.
The FAI board held an unscheduled meeting on Friday before seeking the four-week postponement from the Oireachtas committee on Monday morning.
'When the formal invite was received on Friday 27th June the committee requested a broad range of documents, many that relate specifically to an ongoing Garda investigation,' a statement from the FAI read.
'Given the complexities involved in collating and considering our ability to comply with this request and to enable adequate preparation time we have sought a deferral of four weeks. Any disclosure must also be assessed carefully for legal and GDPR compliance given the sensitive and confidential nature of safeguarding information requested.
'Over the intervening period we will continue to liaise with the committee to ensure the scope of the session is clearly defined to ensure that no parties could inadvertently compromise an ongoing investigation.
'We fully respect the important work of the joint committee and acknowledge the critical oversight role it plays in relation to legislation, policy, governance, expenditure and administration of the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport. The FAI is fully committed to engaging constructively with the Committee on this matter and we look forward to them defining a revised date where this session can proceed.'
Speaking under Dáil privilege last month, Fianna Fáil TD Pádraig O'Sullivan said the FAI knew of the allegations in 2023, 'despite the FAI stating publicly that it only learned of these allegations in early 2024'.
Mr O'Sullivan said he had seen correspondence dating to May 4th, 2023, which laid this out in 'black and white'.
Minister of State for Sport Charlie McConalogue subsequently stated his department and Sport Ireland believe the FAI had engaged appropriately with the allegations, and that once it received a formal complaint in January 2024 it acted swiftly and contacted Gardaí.
Despite requesting the four-week postponement, the FAI has accepted the invitation to appear before the Oireachtas sport committee on Wednesday.
