Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have heard of an abundance of caution but it seems to me the FAI is drowning in caution. We deal with an environment around here when, every now and again, the Government tells us it is acting on legal advice when it proposes to do or not do something, and we do not see what that legal advice is. The claim that legal advice prevents someone from doing something can really be the last refuge of people who do not want to engage. I think the witnesses would make life a lot easier for all of us if they told us that the world and its mother knows the FAI had wind of stuff, it had to prepare for it, it did not know what was true or not true, and it had to protect people's reputations. Ordinary people would understand this kind of analysis from the FAI.

Having said that, I think the FAI is absolutely entitled to push back strongly against any suggestion its attempt to address the process, whether it is excessively cautious or not, should be seen in any way as indicative of any kind of alleged toxic culture. Organisations struggle to deal with bad news when it is on the scene. I do not think anybody here would, on consideration, want to make a link between allegations of toxic culture and the FAI's attempt to manage this situation, whether we agree with the idirbheartaíocht or negotiations, or that an element of this has to go on, whereby the FAI has to secure its rights as it sees them and the committee has to secure its best efforts to address potential issues of public concern.

I would like Mr. Courell to address with more clarity what exactly he is speaking about when he talks about "contradictory messaging". I want to go back to this phrase and get a bit more clarity on what is meant by it.