John O'Mahony (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses to the meeting. In the last six months the whole country has been immensely proud of our sporting achievements, including at the European Championships, in Chicago and in Connacht. The GAA is spreading throughout the world, which is a big aspect of its work at present.

I will try to confine my questions to the three issues of governance, gender quotas and funding. Mr. Delaney referred to the democratic governance structures of the FAI. He also stated that the FAI is affiliated to both FIFA and UEFA and must follow their rules too. Those organisations have had huge governance issues, which Mr. Delaney has taken on himself, in the past six months. Does he feel that those issues have had an impact on the FAI? Have matters been resolved at European and world level? What happened was absolutely disgraceful. I am looking at this from the outside and would not know anything other than what I read in media reports. Has it impacted on the FAI? Deputy Catherine Murphy mentioned Mr. Sepp Blatter and Mr. Delaney seemed to have a good relationship with him, particularly in the context of the deal referred to earlier. Was it, from the point of view FIFA, arrived at on the nod?

At every AGM of the FAI, issues seem to arise with regard to League of Ireland clubs. Is that an issue for the FAI in general? As regards funding, I understand that the winners of the league, Dundalk FC, received €100,000 or €120,000. Is that a realistic amount in the professional game or is it merely what can be afforded?