Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Dead or dry cash, for example, providing €18 million on the never-never, is something we would all be against. I would hate to see that but if it gets to the stage where nothing else can be done, the stadium is a tangible asset that the people would be happy to own.

I am a little confused. A previous speaker referred to the independent directors. We all do our own research and we try to pick up information from the press corps, people we know in the FAI, Department officials and so on. There seems to be total confusion with regard to the independent directors. There are people in the FAI who claim not to know the names of the independent directors and that they were shown only profiles of independent directors rather than names. They say they are screaming for the independent directors to be appointed and are not delaying these appointments. I am told that the independent directors have been selected and are engaging with Grant Thornton and getting financial briefings before taking up their positions. None of us knows the independent directors but the clear public perception is that the FAI is blocking the appointment of independent directors. The Minister's words today very much suggest that is the case. I have access to Department officials, FAI staff and colleagues in the press but I still do not know who is blocking or delaying the appointment of the independent directors.