The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) must immediately reverse its decision not to attend this week’s Joint Oireachtas Committee on Culture, Sport and Media, according to Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney.
Deputy Gibney, who sits on the committee and is the party’s spokesperson on sport, said:
“Part of respecting sport as a public good is demanding accountability of its associations. When considerable public funds are being allocated to an organisation like the FAI, we need to have confidence in its structures.
“Crucially, we deserve to know that its safeguarding measures are robust enough to keep players and staff safe. This issue is at the core of this week’s committee hearing.
“Given that the association faces questions about serious gaps in its safeguarding procedures, it is imperative it does not seek to evade scrutiny.
“We simply cannot have a situation where the FAI refuses to meaningfully engage with an Oireachtas committee. After a succession of controversies and governance failures, public trust in the association remains broken.
“The FAI has a troubled past when it comes to its dealings with Oireachtas committees. Clearly, this pattern of behaviour – where it fails to answer questions or provide accountability – has not yet been consigned to history.”
September 22, 2025