BREAKING: Sport Ireland has decided to suspend and withhold future funding to the FAI.@VirginMediaNews at 5.30
— Richard Chambers (@newschambers) April 9, 2019
Aw, ref!
FIGHT!
Update:
Via Sports Ireland:
‘The Board of Sport Ireland at its meeting today (April 9th) has decided to suspend and withhold future funding to the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) in accordance with Clause 1.1 of Sport Ireland’s Terms and Conditions of Grant Approval.
The decision was taken in light of an acknowledgement by the FAI in its written opening statement to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport tomorrow that in 2017 the FAI did not comply with Clause 4.3 of Sport Ireland’s Terms & Conditions of Grant Approval.
Clause 4.3 specifically relates to ‘Further Reporting’:
“In addition each organisation undertakes to notify Sport Ireland in writing without delay in the event of any material deterioration in its financial position or of any other matter which may jeopardise the organisation’s overall financial viability and/or its ability to comply with its commitments in the Approved Submission, and thereafter to provide Sport Ireland with such information and documentation as Sport Ireland may request in connection with the relevant matter and any steps being taken to rectify it.”
In making the decision to suspend and withhold funding, the Board of Sport Ireland notes that the FAI has already been paid 50% of its 2019 funding to date and some positive steps taken by the FAI in recent days.
This decision will be reviewed by the Board of Sport Ireland as a standing item at each of its future meetings.
The Board of Sport Ireland will consider the reinstatement of funding once all ongoing reports commissioned by the FAI have been completed and the recommendations adopted, and the Board of Sport Ireland is satisfied that all necessary processes and controls are in place to ensure the FAI’s ongoing compliance with the Terms and Conditions of Grant Approval.
Sport Ireland will continue to provide non-financial assistance and guidance to the FAI, which may be helpful in advancing matters.’
Yesterday: Game On
Nice one : )
Sport Ireland confirmed last week at the Oireachtas hearing that they provided 25% of the 2019 allocation of funding (which would be around €700,000, if you look back at the total of €2.7m given in 2017)
“at the end of March”
Mark Tighe of the Sunday Times broke the story on 17 March 2019.
So, why did Sport Ireland hand over so much money when the FAI hadn’t provided an explanation about the €100k loan? Eh, Mulvey.
It’s worth mentioning that Mulvey, the Chair of Sport Ireland is also a non executive director of Independent News and Media having been nominated for the post by Denis O’Brien last year.
O’Brien is Honorary Life President of the FAI, a keen supporter and ally
of John Delaney and a longtime benefactor to the organisation.
How might the circle be squared?
Welcome to last week Otis
You didn’t miss a bit
Crap crap , Ive forgotten what to do when I see the appearance of accountability …
Delaney and the entire fai board needs to go.
not before a full revenue audit going back to the last centuary
Why are people so happy about this? I want the board of Sport Ireland fired – they literally only did this after years of public pressure that eventually put them on display at the PAC. This is not just about FAI governance it is about the corrupt relationship between another unelected quango and its attempts to deflect and delay this outcome whilst handing over shedloads of public money.
And when they do reinstate funding, will it be backdated?
Why is there never clarity?
With the 25% payment “at the end of March 2019”, Sport Ireland said last week that brought to 50%, the total of the 2019 allocation now paid over, and we’re just over three months into the year. I doubt a 6-month hiatus would have much impact, but it makes Sports Ireland look like the paragon of good governance on the eve of the John Delaney hearing, when in fact, the obvious question is, why did Sport Ireland hand over 25% of the 2019 allocation AFTER the Mark Tighe story and without any credible explanation from the FAI.
Sports Ireland are about as corrupt as the FAI – good one lads! Your day will come too.
The chairman has been there for 12 years. Don’y kid yourself, he’ll retire on a huge pension.
S
Pensions
Chair of more than one paid board
As well as his day jobs
I’m in the wrong game. I need t get myself on some boards.
I’ve been trying for a while meself Edel
Loads of offers to go on Voluntary Boards alright
But those sexy gifted ones
Nah
Even though I’m PCF’ed, Independent, Qualified and with a shed load of Governance and Regulatory cpds, from Compliance to Risk ta’ AML
I’ve been shortlisted a few times
Bit tis all about Political Patronage when the “Minister” makes the appointment, and being one’ah the bhoys
The NTMA would be a nice sinecure. Pays 30k per year.
http://www.stateboards.ie/stateboards/campaignAdvert/103030/booklet.htm
Hurry up though as applications close this Friday.
Didn’t make the cut the last time something came up on the NTMA
Nor the Housing Agency, which is again pretending to look for a new Chair
I got elected to something unexpectedly recently
( I only put myself on the ballot to p1ss someone off)
So I’m going to park up for bit – until Autumn anyway
And I might make another run at a few
But seriously
When “State Boards” indicates The Minister invites….
You’re really only giving them numbers
In reality a sitting Director has already recommended someone
Or a political favour needs sorting
Vanessa, is the Housing Agency really looking for a new chair, they only appointed the current incumbent (without advertisement, he was directly approached by Eoghan Murphy) a year ago?
Maybe you should start by establishing your own charity, that opens the door to various govt departments and also puts you on the charity (closed) circuit and as long as you give some FG candidate some money or support, you’ll be queen of the quangos in no time.
But NEDs don’t get paid on the Charity Circuit
And any available Voluntary Hours I have are already promised
BTW
The next Chair of the Housing Agency will not be resourced from open competition either
Someone from the Banker / Big Money/ Professional Charity sector set up
Possibly Mulvey as I suspect his Sport Ireland years have reached their cap
By the 1st June it will be as you were
This is the Sports Council clearing out the top tier FAI
So that 11 Directorships are now vacant for them to fill
Don’t be surprised if those NEDs are now as well fatted…. Ah here tis worse my spelling is getting – look at how I spelt ‘paid’ there
Like, how will you get the best of the best like they have at RTÉ and the SI themselves unless they’re paid just as gorgingly
If you communicated in plain English Vanessa…I…and perhaps many others, would understand your points of view ….you do yourself a disservice I think.
Ironically they will now probably need a loan from their executive vice-president