Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport

Safeguarding Policies and Procedures within the Football Association of Ireland: Discussion

2:00 am

Photo of Malcolm ByrneMalcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)

That is specifically why I asked the question. In the document the FAI provided on safeguarding in Irish football, one of the things it indicates is that a stand down order is an immediate protective measure that can be issued on three grounds: when statutory authorities are investigating a child welfare or vulnerable person concern; when concerns are raised with the FAI outside of such an investigation; or when Garda vetting disclosures indicate risk.

I totally get that fair procedure has to be established. However, our concern - and the answer is yet to be established - is that when a formal complaint was made, did the FAI act in accordance with procedures? On the evidence we have heard, I think that has been case. Our issue comes back to Deputy O'Sullivan's point about if one was the parent of young children and so on, if concerns were raised with the FAI outside-----

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