Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

We are all concerned and looking to support the grassroots and the future development of Irish soccer. The way that has to be done is for the MOU to be agreed in full. That will require the FAI to convene an EGM this month to implement rule changes to provide for an increase to six independent directors on its board and it will require those members of the FAI council with more than ten years' service to stand down. That has to be delivered.

That is the message coming from the Government, not from any one Secretary General or any one Minister or the other. That is the collective agreement. It is what needs to be done with the MOU. It is important the FAI gets that message in clear, direct terms because it is critical.

The success of the FAI is critical to all of us. It allows us not only to have our international team, but also to have every other team right down. Thirty or so teams play in international competition representing us. The development of the clubs right across this country and the development of every aspect of soccer is something we want to see succeed. The MOU is critical to that. Central to that is the creation of a board, as has been agreed. The FAI will have to do that before we can make progress on anything else.

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