Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am a member of the public and I attended my first Sligo Rovers' game over 50 years ago. I went to my first Republic of Ireland game over 40 years ago. I ran a double-decker bus to Germany in 1988. I am a member of the soccer fraternity. I have served as secretary of my local soccer club and I was treasurer of the Roscommon district league 30 years ago. I welcomed the recommendations of the Genesis report because, at the time, the FAI was not fit for purpose. The association has made huge inroads in the past number of years, notwithstanding the selling of Glenmalure Park in the 1980s. I will not get into that now but it caused major damage to the FAI among the general public. That is another day's work. We can consider the €100,000 loan and the hasty restructuring of the top level of management in the FAI. At least it looks hasty. We can also consider the financial health of the organisation while FAI staff take pay cuts. Sport Ireland has suspended funding, which is bad news.

When the Republic of Ireland team is going well, everybody asks why we do not have an all-island soccer team and people say it would be great. If I were involved with the Irish Football Association, IFA, which oversees the Northern Ireland soccer team, I would be asking if it would really want to join forces with the FAI, particularly in view of all the bad news that is coming out. I am smiling to myself because what happened in 2016 was wonderful. Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland supporters were together on the streets in Paris and around France. We have come a long way in the past 20 years. It may be tongue-in-cheek but we have all-island hockey and rugby teams. In 1924, there was an all-island soccer team that was headquartered in Belfast. Maybe after today we should look for the establishment of an all-island soccer team. Perhaps the FAI should move in with the IFA instead of the other way around. The all-island soccer team could play in Belfast. This matter has been very damaging to the idea of having an all-island soccer team. I hope we can come out of this in a much better way.