Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister stated: "While I have been advised that it would be unlawful to share the full details of the KOSI auditors’ findings, [which we understand] I can confirm that their opinion is that the FAI is not fit to handle public funds." He cannot say more, but that is probably the most damning statement made today. My heart goes out to the 200 staff and their families who are caught up in this bad situation, which is not of their making. I hope that what the Minister is doing will help to protect them and others in the FAI who are innocent of any wrong-doing.

We speak about an all-Ireland soccer team. Since the time I grew up, we have been asking why the lads in the Irish Football Association, IFA, do not fold up their tent and join an all-Ireland soccer team, but what would the IFA have to do with the FAI now? This situation has put back an all-Ireland soccer team years. If we want to be honest, we have to resolve what is happening in the FAI.

The FAI is a toxic brand. As many brands have done, is it time for a name change? That is a matter for the FAI, but if the State is giving it funding, perhaps it needs to start afresh and change its name to, for example, "Soccer Ireland". Given what has happened over the past two years, it needs to reflect on a name change. We need to start from scratch.

At our first meeting on this matter approximately six months ago, I stated that the FAI was like "Goodfellas". Look at UEFA. It is the governing body and Mr. John Delaney had a powerful executive role there. UEFA has questions to answer as well. What is it doing and what has it done? Can the committee ask representatives of UEFA to attend a meeting? The Minister, the Minister of State, their officials and Sport Ireland have done excellent work trying to uncover facts and be helpful, but the FAI's governing body is UEFA and it should come clean about what is happening. It should appear before us to explain what it will do.