Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

To take the example of a voluntary organisation like Sporting Pride, which has no paid staff, there is a difficulty around the energy that goes into making that pitch to Sport Ireland or the Department and the work that goes into that. That is one of the reasons I am asking about funding.

Football is a hostile place for LGBT people, for young men and boys in particular. As they become aware of their sexuality in teenage years, they probably fall away from the sport. Does Mr. McDermott think the FAI is doing enough in terms of engaging with the LGBT community? I know we had the Pride numbers on the international shirt a couple of years ago and there has been BeLonG To training in Abbotstown. There was also the SSE Airtricity initiative with the League of Ireland. Is there anything happening at grassroots level? Are there plans for more to happen? Would the FAI consider marching in regional Pride parades or Dublin Pride like the other governing bodies do?

What I see, and what I feel, is a lack of activity at grassroots level from the FAI when it comes to LGBT inclusion. My own football club the Dublin Devils has a partnership with Bohemians FC. It is great to see a League of Ireland club take the lead and show football can be a force for good. Jamie Farrelly, the club secretary of the Dublin Devils at the time, said he hoped the FAI would stand up and take notice because it had not been active on LGBT issues. There is a sense that there is minimal interaction between Sporting Pride and the LGBT-inclusive teams in association football. Does Mr. McDermott accept that? Does he think there is scope for more work to happen?