Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I met the IABA this morning. A number of concerns have been raised on an ongoing basis with me. It is my second time meeting the IABA in the aftermath of the Rio Olympics. No one believes what happened in Rio is acceptable. We have had two meetings with the IABA at my level and a number of engagements with Sport Ireland and officials in my Department. I have huge concerns over the implementation of recommendations from the Rio Olympics. The sense of urgency there is concerning. The media reports on splits in boards is concerning. Sport Ireland is constituted by the Houses of the Oireachtas through this committee to oversee the governance of all sporting organisations. We have to be fair to everyone and if everyone is working from a template for sporting governance, we expect there to be no exemptions from it. The CEO of Sport Ireland, John Treacy, has committed to discussing it at the earliest opportunity in an emergency meeting by the board of Sport Ireland. Sport Ireland will make a decision and whatever its decision is, the Minister, Deputy Ross, and I will fully support it. The current situation on the rule book, governance, accountability and who is in charge of the IABA cannot continue.