Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

That is what was agreed. The Genesis report was referred to earlier and there was mention of the need for independence on the board, with which I agree. It is interesting that at the time of the Genesis report publication, the then FAI treasurer, Mr. John Delaney, said he was quite furious that it would take five years to implement some of the recommendations. He made a strong commitment at the time and wanted that change to happen quickly.

We can then look at the people on the board and every one of them chairs a standing committee. There was an extra four years on top of the ten years, and, in some cases, the period is way beyond ten years. Some people are on the board since 2004 and 2005. That is a significant issue. I have no doubt they bring an expertise and I do not dispute that. Turnover and independence on the board are important nonetheless. Does the witness have a concern that one of the ingredients in that kind of arrangement is loyalty? There may be groupthink in that kind of environment. We were told the loss of expertise was a concern but it is interesting that it is not just at board level that one gets expertise, as it is evident in staffing as well. The turnover of staffing at the FAI is quite high. Six of ten senior staff have left and four finance directors have left in the past eight or nine years. Two commercial directors have left and there have been four different heads of communications. Others who have left include a lawyer and deputy chief executive. That is the profile of what is happening in an organisation. Does the witness see that as an organisation that is functioning well with such a profile?