Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate the Minister coming in this evening to take this Topical Issue matter. He will be aware that earlier during the Order of Business, I raised this issue with the Taoiseach, but such is my concern about this matter that I believe it needs further deliberation.

On 8 June, the Sunday Independent's Mark Tighe wrote an article entitled "FAI 'too slow' to act over allegations of former national team manager's behaviour towards female footballers". As I mentioned earlier, the article alleged a number of things, but mainly that the FAI agreed a financial settlement with its former director of public relations to keep details of his complaints from becoming public. Second, and crucially, despite the FAI stating publicly that it only learned of these allegations in early 2024, the FAI's former director of public relations attempted to make a protected disclosure alleging the FAI had knowledge of these issues back in May 2023.

I know this because I have access to the same information as the journalist who wrote the article on 8 June. Despite the FAI claim that it had no knowledge of these concerns prior to early 2024, I can see that the former chief executive initiated a conversation internally on 4 May 2023. It is there in black and white for all to see. With the back and forth he engaged in on that day, I can see other senior officials acknowledging that they were "aware of stuff behind the scenes" in relation to this individual. Another remarked that it was an issue "to discuss privately perhaps", but that there were "potential historical complaints of his time in management". I understand from the FAI's formal correspondence with me that it internally decided not to proceed with an investigation in 2023 as it determined that suspicions, rumours and concerns that were reflected regarding the individual in question did not come in the format of a formal complaint or allegation at that time.

I am not attempting to stray into the specifics of any allegations. That is a matter for the authorities concerned. However, for an organisation such as the FAI not to act on this matter, even in the absence of an official complaint or allegation, is extremely worrying and, if I am being brutally honest, it directly contradicts its child welfare and safeguarding policy, which I have a copy of with me this evening.

That document explicitly states that in relation to any case of abuse, if a mandated person knows, believes or has reasonable grounds to suspect that a child has been, is being or is at risk of being abused, the mandated person must report this issue to Tusla under the Children First Act 2015. The same policy that I have here has provision for the standing-down of staff in circumstances where concerns are raised with the FAI outside a statutory authority investigation. This did not happen until nearly a year after the individuals first came to attention.

In addition, the FAI's safeguarding policy also states that individuals should always inform Tusla when they have reasonable grounds for concern that a child may have been, is being or is at risk of being abused or neglected. In addition, it is not necessary for the individual to prove that abuse has occurred. All that is required is that the individual have reasonable grounds for concern. Reasonable grounds include "any concern about any potential sexual abuse". Did this happen in this case? Was the child protection officer informed? Was the safeguarding officer within the FAI consulted?

Having seen the evidence, I think it is fair to ask the FAI if it reached the threshold required by its own policies. If individuals within the FAI in May 2023 conceded that they were aware of stuff behind the scenes, wanting to discuss privately offline the potential historical complaints of these individuals in management and the former chief executive conceding that they had to assume more of this could be out there, surely that is concerning. Nobody and no script from any Department will tell me that those conversations by their very nature do not point to the fact that people in the FAI had concerns covered by their own safeguarding documents. My only concern is to ensure that safeguarding in a large organisation like the FAI, to which we entrust our children and young people, is followed.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. As he is aware, the matter in question is the subject of an ongoing Garda investigation and we must remain mindful of that fact during our discussions this evening.

It is the view of my Department and that of Sport Ireland that the FAI has engaged appropriately with these allegations. From the newspaper article which the Deputy mentioned, it seems that no complaint was made to nor any evidence of inappropriate behaviour received by the FAI in 2023. Once it received a formal complaint in January 2024, the FAI acted swiftly and contacted An Garda Síochána and Tusla in accordance with mandatory reporting requirements and its own safeguarding and child welfare regulations

The allegations made by women involved in football in the 1990s were truly shocking and I commend the bravery of those who came forward to tell their stories. It is vital that allegations of this nature are taken seriously and dealt with in the appropriate manner. Last year’s reporting of this story, both in print and on television, played an important role in bringing those stories to light.

Once it received a formal complaint, the Football Association of Ireland contacted An Garda Síochána about these cases, in accordance with mandatory reporting requirements and its own safeguarding and child welfare regulations. It has fully engaged and co-operated with the ongoing Garda investigation.

Following the revelations, the FAI introduced an anonymous reporting mechanism to allow players and others to flag concerns and report inappropriate behaviour to Raiseaconcern, an independent complaint=handling firm. I would urge anyone who experienced harm or abuse from Irish football or who wishes to report issues related to abuse or inappropriate or unlawful behaviours to contact this independent service to make a statement. In addition, the FAI’s safeguarding awareness campaign, Play It Right, was rolled out to clubs across the country, promoting good behaviour and a confidential independent helpline and website for anyone who wants to report a serious concern anonymously.

Cases such as these serve as a reminder of the need to be ever-vigilant and of the importance of safeguarding policies and procedures in our efforts to create, protect and promote a culture that allows people to speak out about anything that makes them uncomfortable, in all sports. It is vital that allegations of this nature are taken seriously by any national governing body of sport and that an athlete-centred approach is taken in response.

In August 2023, Sport Ireland launched a new national code of conduct template for sporting organisations, which sets out a set of guidelines and principles that promotes the behaviour and conduct expected from our athletes, coaches, supporters, officials, club members and parents or guardians. All national governing bodies were asked to use the national template code of conduct as an opportunity to review their existing policies and procedures for handling code breaches to ensure that we have a safe and respectful environment for all involved in Irish sport. The creation of a culture of safety that promotes the welfare of children and young people engaged in sporting activities must be at the core of all national governing bodies' operations. Sport Ireland’s safeguarding guidance for children and young people in sport is a core document in this regard.

Sport Ireland has an extensive suite of guidelines and codes of practice for the protection of children in sport, consistent with child protection guidance and legislation. Last year, Sport Ireland wrote to all national governing bodies to remind them of their responsibilities and that their policies and procedures regarding player welfare must be up to date and fit for purpose.

We have made significant strides in promoting increased female participation in sport in recent years. The Irish sports monitor report for 2024 shows that female participation in sport increased to its highest level to date, at 47%. Last week, we announced the investment of €4 million under the women in sport programme for 2025.

The aforementioned measures, while positive, must of course be supported by a robust safeguarding framework for all who participate in sport. It is imperative that we demonstrate that there is simply no place for abuse of any kind against women in sport and there should be zero tolerance for any actions that endanger their welfare.

Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I start by thanking the Minister of State for coming in to address this matter himself. It was remiss of me not to preface my comments by saying that if anybody has been affected by these issues, they should follow the formal complaints procedure that the FAI has encouraged people to come forward with, details of which the Minister of State has outlined. I do not raise this matter lightly. Many of us here have children. I quoted extensively from a series of correspondence that I obtained through an individual. The correspondence clearly demonstrates that this was known nine months prior to the "RTÉ Investigates" programme. That in itself is damning. I have written to the sports committee about this and it will be discussed in private session tomorrow. I will seek that representatives of the FAI come in to address the concerns I have raised this evening. I hope to have the support of some of the committee members present here tonight.

My overarching concern is that given that we entrust our children to large organisations like this, it is paramount that their safety is ensured. I will not stray into the realm of individual accusations because I do not have any information pertaining to any individual allegations. I am exclusively concentrating on the FAI's own safeguarding policy which the Minister of State has said his Department is satisfied with. I ask him to ask his officials go back and read it because I quoted it extensively from it. It states specifically that no specific allegation is required in the case of any sexual allegations. It is there in black and white.

I ask the Minister of State to ask the departmental officials if they have the information that I have in my possession. If they do, I think they will have a very different view of what we are discussing here this evening. The Minister of State mentioned Sport Ireland in his response. I would also ask that in any investigation or examination Sport Ireland has done here, the same information that I have in my possession is also brought to its attention because that will also inform its future outlook on this.

I can only ask the Minister of State to reflect on what I have outlined here this evening. I do not do it lightly. I will bring it to the committee tomorrow in private session and I hope representatives from the FAI will come in to address the concerns.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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This is an issue that my Department and Sport Ireland were aware of and had looked at. It is my Department's view, and that of Sport Ireland, that the FAI engaged appropriately with these allegations. The Deputy mentioned a particular newspaper article which has been discussed this evening. It outlines that no complaint was made to, nor any evidence of inappropriate behaviour received by, the FAI in 2023. Once it received a formal complaint in January 2024, the FAI acted and contacted the Garda and Tusla, in accordance with mandatory reporting requirements and its safeguarding and child welfare regulations.

Sport Ireland has strong criteria for safeguarding compliance. It is a compulsory requirement for all national governing bodies and is a critical element for funding to national governing bodies. These criteria are reviewed twice annually by Sport Ireland, which works with NGBs to ensure that appropriate policies are put in place to take a proactive approach to safeguarding by identifying and mitigating risks to player welfare.

It also works with national governing bodies, NGBs, on an ongoing basis to ensure they have mechanisms in place to react appropriately and handle complaints or issues when they arise.

I reaffirm to Deputy O'Sullivan that from the point of view of my Department and of Sport Ireland in regard to any information received on this, they are of the view that the FAI engaged appropriately. It is certainly open to the Deputy or anyone else to provide any and all information they have to Sport Ireland and to the Department. Certainly, in regard to anything they have looked at so far, both my Department and Sport Ireland are of the very clear view that the FAI engaged appropriately with these allegations.