Mr. Joe Christle:

That is why it might be a very good idea to have an independent review of all the circumstances and what is in the media. There was a meeting between the board of the Irish Sports Council and the board of the IABA on 20 August, at which we all understood we wanted Billy Walsh to stay. We all wanted to retain him, but the difference between both sides was that the IABA had to take cognisance of certain issues that would arise if money was simply thrown at the problem because of the knock-on effects in loads of different areas. All of these concerns were ultimately set out for the Minister of State on 11 September.

The framework was put together by the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, in order to solve the problem.

At the end of the meeting in Buswells Hotel, at the suggestion of the chairman of the Sports Council it was agreed that we would meet and he would offer his professional good offices to mediate a solution between Billy Walsh and the IABA, with the Irish Sports Council also involved. That was to take place within two days, because there was a board meeting on the following Tuesday, the 25th. It took place on Saturday, the 22nd, in Sandyford. At that stage, on Saturday the 22nd, the first draft of a proposal was put to the IABA. The IABA set out its concerns in regard to some of the measures that were in the proposal. On the following day a second draft was delivered by e-mail. When that was looked at it did not reflect the concerns as had been voiced by the attendees on behalf of the IABA. What I, as chairman, did not want to happen when I saw it was that it be put to the board of directors and be turned down, because I did not want a strike against this process. I wanted to retain him. We decided to communicate some amendments and try and get the process going. We asked the Sports Council if it wanted us to put the proposal before the board of the IABA and it said it had no further role to play in the matter.

Notwithstanding all of that, we put the proposal to the board. It was discussed at the board meeting, and the minutes will reflect that. Having listened to the discussions I decided, as chairman, not to put it to a vote, because I did not want a strike down. I would rather that it was just considered and that we would not have it going back to Billy Walsh that it had been rejected out of turn. We re-energised the negotiations that were already in play and it was at that stage, ten days later, that the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, intervened, convened the meeting in Athlone on the 11th, which was a Friday, and on the 14th, the next working day, we sat down. That was the first time - not in Sandyford - that, as far as I was concerned, there was a deal done - a handshake and a "look you in the eye and I am satisfied with what has been set before me". As I have said, I indicated to him that what the IABA, the Sports Council and the Minister wanted was the spectre of him going to America to disappear.