From top: Ex-CEO of FAI John Delaney; a statement issued by the Ireland’s four provincial football associations about Mr Delaney; a statement released by Limerick FC about Mr Delaney; a tweet last night by Neil O’Riordan, of The Irish Sun

On March 29.

The four provincial football associations released a collective statement praising former CEO of the FAI John Delaney’s contribution to Irish football.

It followed Mr Delaney stepping down from his CEO role and being made executive vice-president of the Football Association of Ireland, days after a March 17 report in The Sunday Times revealed he gave a loan of €100,000 to the FAI in 2017.

Almost three weeks on since the story about the loan broke, the circumstances surrounding the loan are still being sought by Sport Ireland while Mr Delaney will appear before the Oireachtas sports committee next week.

On the same date as the statement from the provincial associations, March 29, the Dublin & District Schoolboys League also released a statement. The statements are very similar.

Then, on Tuesday, Limerick Football Club’s chairman Pat O’Sullivan released a statement expressing the club’s confidence in Mr Delaney.

Again, the Limerick FC statement was very similar to those of the provincial associations and the DDSL.

Last night, Waterford FC owner Lee Power released a statement praising Mr Delaney.

After Neil O’Riordan, of The Irish Sun, tweeted that the figures in the statement were incorrect, the club amended the statement.

Further to this…

You Boys In Green tweetz:

WOW. Passage in Limerick FC statement praising John Delaney is, word for word, the exact same as the original statement from the Provincial Councils. Is there a sample being send to leagues/clubs? All so so similar.

If any club or League has been contacted and asked to make a statement backing John Delaney and wish to contact us, please get in touch. DM here or email youboysingreen@gmail.com Total anonymity, of course.

Meanwhile…

At last night’s Under-17 European Championships draw at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, where there was a drinks reception and dinner – which members of the Oireachtas sports committee were invited to shortly after the loan story broke…

Sigh.

Context

Earlier: Mazars Balls

Related: John Delaney understood the value of local support and he hopes it will allow him to resist the pressure from outside the FAI (Neil O’Riordan, The Irish Sun)

What’s the skinny?

The Great Hunger tweetz:

There is a little over a week left before The Great Hunger movie crowdfunder starts – make sure you join the mailing list (at link below) help us make the movie the establishment doesn’t want made – we can’t do it without you!

The Great Hunger movie

Thanks John Gallen

Meanwhile…

Revenue tweetz:

Customs Officers providing information to truck drivers in Dublin Ports this morning to ensure they understand and are aware of the changes that Brexit will mean for their journeys.

It follows Revenue releasing a statement this morning saying Customs Officers will be talking with truck drivers at ports in Dublin and Rosslare.

Lynda Slattery, Head of Revenue’s Brexit Policy Unit, said:

“It is crucially important that truck drivers are aware of, and understand, what they will need to do and what paperwork they will have to provide at check-in, before boarding the ferry.

“This will ensure that trucks can move through our ports with minimum disruption and delay. If a truck driver does not have the right documentation, then he or she will not be allowed to board the ferry and will be delayed, perhaps for a considerable time.

“Of particular importance for drivers arriving on ferries into Ireland is knowing where they need to go if the goods they are transporting need to be checked by Customs.

“Drivers must check whether they are free to leave the port on arrival or if they must call to Customs. This check can be done quickly on revenue.ie/roro, 20 minutes prior to docking. We have produced a clear and helpful leaflet that sets out how the process will work.

“It is important to be aware of the procedures and requirements for transporting goods to, from or through the UK post-Brexit.

“This minimises the risk of your business and drivers being seriously and substantially impacted and will ensure that the majority of goods continue to move freely through our ports.”

Revenue provides key Brexit advice for transport companies and their drivers (Revenue)

Barker family and a hidden camera in a Cork property they rented via Airbnb

On Monday.

Nealie Barker, from New Zealand, who was visiting Cork with her husband and five children, wrote on Facebook:

We are avid Airbnb users. We love the platform.

We just found a camera hidden in a smoke alarm case in the private living room of a listing. We were travelling with children.

The host admitted to the concealed camera over the phone, only after presented with our irrefutable proof.

The Airbnb safety team investigated our complaint (we provided photos and snapshot of video feed). Their “thorough” investigation which didn’t include any follow-up with us exonerated the host, no explanation provided.

The listing (with hidden camera not mentioned) is still on Airbnb.

The host is now claiming our accusation is false on the public platform.

Guest safety is not an Airbnb priority!

After this post on Facebook, the Barker family were offered a refund and Airbnb said it would reinvestigate the matter.

The host has since been permanently removed by Airbnb from its listings.

In a statement to The Irish Times, Airbnb said:

“The safety and privacy of our community – both online and offline – is our priority. Airbnb policies strictly prohibit hidden cameras in listings and we take reports of any violations extremely seriously.

“There have been more than 500 million guest arrivals in Airbnb listings to date and negative incidents are incredibly rare.”

Family found hidden live cam in Airbnb in Cork after trying to connect to wifi (The Irish Times)

Data Protection Commission investigating hidden camera in Airbnb property (The Irish Examiner)

Grantham Street, off Camden Street Lower, in Dublin 8

Edel writes:

“I found this Samsung phone on Grantham Street, off Camden Street Lower in Dublin 8 last night, just after 11pm. Would love to return it to its owner.”

Anyone?

All the news that’s fit to print.

This morning.

Feather-light political coverage from RTÉ and the Irish Independent suggesting junk food, as opposed to lack of empathy, is Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s ‘downfall’.

Spinning classes, amirite.

Leo Varadkar reveals he used to weigh almost 18 stone (RTÉ)


IDA Ireland logo; Web Summit co-founder Paddy Cosgrave

Earlier this week.

Co-founder of the Web Summit Paddy Cosgrave tweeted about Ireland’s tax structures which, he said, allow companies to “avoid all taxes” and “enjoy no-touch regulation”.

He went on to link to a Wikipedia article about the same before warning his followers that the Irish Government, through the IDA, pays people to edit tax-related articles on Wikipedia.

He tweeted:

Further to this…

Anyone?

Paddy Cosgrave

Thanks Bebe

Um.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has commissioned consultancy firm Mazars to conduct “an independent and in-depth” review of “issues of concern” that have been raised about the association.

Good times.

FAI commissions consultancy firm to review ‘issues of concern’ (Irish Times, March 31)

Previously: Kicking Off

Joe Biden was known as “America’s favourite uncle”.

But now that seven women have come forward to say his tactile politicking made them feel uncomfortable, he may see that changed to “creepy uncle”.

And maybe he’ll never be able to call himself America’s next president

Could the Joe Biden allegations lead to Donald Trump’s re-election? (ABC)

Previously: A Heartbeat Away

Broadsheet.ie