Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I am very pleased that we have sport on the agenda tonight. The loss of active sport and the coverage of sport across the various media has left a large gap. We are all very glad to see sport returning, albeit very gradually. It will be a long time before we see stadia full. That has its own consequences. We should acknowledge the work the volunteers in sport did throughout all of our communities in the non-sporting arena in supporting communities during Covid. Such organised groups are so important and it is great to be able to call on them. I support the call for a resilience fund. It is absolutely essential. Sport is a critical component of Irish life that needs to be supported. It is essential that this includes areas of sport that have tended to do less well. I refer to minority sports such as women's sports, for which it was always more difficult to get sponsorship, for all that this has been changing in recent years.

Not having a committee system in the Oireachtas at the moment is a real problem because there are number of issues we could be dealing with, not least pre and post-Covid issues but also things like the FAI. We had a lot of engagement at the committee in respect of it. I also refer to the Irish Greyhound Board, although that it is under the remit of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. An Indecon report published in the past month paints a terrible picture of the sector, whose representatives have been in front of the Committee of Public Accounts in recent years. It has received €16.8 million from the Government this year and in the region of €14.7 million has already been drawn down. That report will have to be looked at. It is the most supported sport in the country. When we start looking at the other sports that require attention, we really have to question that.

I want to ask some questions concerning the FAI. In doing so, I want to place on record my absolute commitment to, and support for, the League of Ireland. I recognise that there are very individual issues in that regard and the FAI has to be seen as a separate issue. A complaint was made to FIFA and, I think, UEFA as well in recent weeks about the Government's involvement through the memorandum of understanding. Is the memorandum of understanding nailed down? Is it Government backed or is it a question awaiting the Minister's successor? It is important that we get this nailed down. On the six-six deal with the casting vote of the chairperson, did the Minister anticipate that arrangement not being voted through at the FAI council? What progress has been made on removing people from the board who have been on it for ten or more years?

People not moving on was one of the main issues. We cannot miss this opportunity for a new dawn. Covid has interrupted a lot of good work.

Has FIFA made its view known on the six-by-six arrangement? Is the Minister concerned that none of the new FAI committees established last year has met since? Can he confirm that the visionary group trio from the FAI met officials from the Department yesterday? Were their discussions about Covid relief alone or were other matters raised?

Last month, a partner with the professional services of PricewaterhouseCoopers quit the FAI's audit risk and compliance committee citing its lack of progress. That is a real red flag. Will the Minister comment on that. Important questions were raised in January by Andrew Doyle and Larry Bass. No financial information was being made available to the finance committee. This is the type of thing we debated last year. It is terribly disappointing that we are starting to see the same issues arise again.

Questions are being asked about the selection of Mr. Roy Barrett. Did the Minister play any role in his selection? Did he have any communications with the headhunting firm in compiling the list of nominees?

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