Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As a committee member, I suggest Sport Ireland look at the conditions attached to funding and extending its powers in order that we will not see what I suspect is a possibility at the next annual general meeting of the FAI. We are three weeks into the process and it appears to me that the only investigations being carried out into the FAI are those being carried out by or commissioned by it. I am wondering - I know that other Deputies have asked this question - given the seriousness of the issues involved, why Sport Ireland did not initiate its own investigation in carrying out a forensic audit? I know that Mr. Mulvey said he had no resistance to a forensic audit being carried out, but he also said the investigation would be forensic in nature. That is not the same as a forensic audit. He said it would be as extensive as he would like it to be or would want it to be, but it is still not a forensic audit. We were critical of what he was saying about the terms of reference for the Mazars review. He has said he is unsure, but he thinks it will be similar to a forensic audit.

We were critical of the FAI for refusing to give answers and hiding behind the Mazars review and the Grant Thornton review, but it appears that Sport Ireland has been sitting back and leaving the FAI to investigate itself or a commission or others to investigate it and that Sport Ireland has done nothing of that nature. It has not actually stated it will go ahead and commission a forensic audit. Will it confirm that it will do so and when it will be done?