Fine Gael TD and member of the Oireachtas sports committee Noel Rock

Just now.

In the Dáil.

During Topical Issues, the management, finances and funding of the Football Association of Ireland was raised.

It followed the announcement of the FAI at the weekend that John Delaney would be stepping down as CEO but would be taking up a new role as executive vice-president.

The FAI said the move followed the adoption of a recommendations set out in a review of its senior management structure –  which was commissioned in February and carried out by Jonathan Hall Associates.

Fine Gael TD Noel Rock, who is also a member of the Oireachtas sports committee, told the Sports Minister Shane Ross no terms of reference for this report have been published to date and the FAI has “so far not even responded to our [sports] committee in looking for that report”.

Mr Rock went on to say;

“Incredibly, minister, within six weeks, that report has been produced in its entirety, no redrafting required and the contents of it acted upon by a unanimous vote of the board, culminating in the announcement of a brand new position for John Delaney.

“A new position for John Delaney, passed by an unanimous vote.

“This absolutely stinks, minister.

“I met with an expert in sporting governance who is currently undertaking such a review with a sporting body in another jurisdiction. That review is coming to conclusion, that review took a year.

“How could this review only take six weeks?

“Why did the FAI act on it so quickly? Why can’t the FAI supply us with this report, given they already acted unanimously on an element of it?

“Does the minister believe this is good corporate governance?

“Does the minister believe that taxpayers’ money is being deployed effectively?

“Does the minister not believe that now is the time for an independent examination into FAI corporate governance and finances.

“It’s time we looked at where taxpayers’ money is going as there are clear omissions being supplied.”

“On finance, I’ve spoken with current and former employees of the FAI, minister, and I am disturbed by what I’m hearing and the documents I am seeing.

“While we continue working with these sources and readying ourselves to ask questions about what has previously happened within the FAI in our committee, on April 10, I believe that we need to act now to safeguard taxpayers’ money.

“…we see in the public domain today, once again, that for 2019, the FAI requested an early drawdown of State funding from Sport Ireland – this is not the first time it has happened and no explanations have been forthcoming.

“We also saw the revelation of an undeclared directors’ loan by Mark Tighe in Sunday Times. The question has to be asked: why was this necessary? Is it the only time it happened? Why wasn’t it declared?

“Has the minister spoken to Sport Ireland on these matters, does he have any concerns with regard to the undeclared directors’ loan? Does he not agree that further taxpayer funding should be contingent on an independent examiner and an independent examination?

“The original issue which thrust this issue into the public domain was one of borrowed money, minister, but it is quite clear that the board of FAI is now only existing on borrowed time.

“These are important questions minister and they deserve an answer, they deserve a public answer. Thank you very much.”

In response, Sports Minister Shane Ross said, in relation the loan provided by Mr Delaney to the FAI “have raised serious questions about governance and financial controls in the FAI”.

He said Sport Ireland is currently engaged with the FAI to “clarify these matters” and “when the necessary clarifications have been received from the FAI” Sport Ireland will submit a report to him.

He added:

“In the interest of due process, and in the interest of natural justice, it is important that Sport Ireland’s engagement with the FAI would be given the necessary time to ensure that all matters are considered thoroughly. Therefore I do not wish to make an comment on any possible outcome from this ongoing process.”

Meanwhile…

Anyone?

Watch live here

Earlier: It’s All Kicking Off

Jason McAteer (left) and John Aldridge

On The Late Late Show.

Sarah Whiteacre writes:

Last year, Liverpool fan Sean Cox was assaulted before a Champions League fixture at Anfield, and has since been on the long road to recovery. Jason McAteer and John Aldridge will join host Ryan Tubridy ahead of a fundraiser game next month which will see Liverpool Legends take on a Republic of Ireland squad…

YouTuber and author Riyadh Khalaf knew that he was different from the age of 11, but found it a daunting task to come out to his Irish-Catholic mother and Muslim Iraqi father. Riyadh and his parents join Ryan to explain what it was like to grow up as a gay kid in Ireland…

In 1999, Guido Nasi was visiting Ireland for the first time when he was attacked in Dublin, leaving him with partial sight, and unable to walk or feed himself. Guido joins Ryan to recount what happened on the day of the assault, and why he’s celebrating a new chapter in his life.

Ryan will also be joined by Colette Byrne, Venetia Quick and John Fitzsimons on adjusting to life after the death of their partners

Music will be from Damien Dempsey

The Late Late Show on RTÉ One at 9.35pm.

Pic: Getty

A playful and rather touching documentary by Patrick Waldrop, using mixed media and an extended interview to explore the mutual admiration and friendship that existed between Hungarian immigrant and Simpsons animator Gábor Csupó and musician Frank Zappa, whose posthumous album cover for The Lost Episodes Csupó designed.

shortoftheweek

Fianna Fail TD and chair of the Public Accounts Committee Sean Fleming and Fergal Mulligan, programme director at the Department of Communications

This afternoon.

At the Public Accounts Committee where senior members of the Department of Communications are answering questions about the National Broadband Plan.

Fianna Fáil TD and chairman of the committee Sean Fleming had an exchange with Fergal Mulligan, programme director at the Department of Communications in which Mr Fleming mentioned the second mobile phone licence.

Sean Fleming: “The next question I want. The person who gets it, because this is very important ’cause when we come back to the communications area and we look at the second mobile phone licence issue, and we look at Eir, or Eircom, that was privatised and sold off and changed hands multiple times, right.

“So will the winner – whoever is the winner, we’ll call them a winner because they presume to make money – will they be able to sell that on? To somebody from China, or Taiwan? Will they be able to sell on the contract?”

Fergal Mulligan: “The way the contract works, the winning bidder, if they were to sell this, there are arrangements in place where, in the event of a sale, we can’t prevent a sale to a reasonable third party.

“But we would share any upside there might be for them in that sale, I won’t disclose what the upside is, but we’d also have to approve that, so it couldn’t go to an unsuitable third party.

“For example, I won’t go into what the definition of…I’ll leave that to the lawyers. But there are a lot of protections in the contract.”

Related: How Denis O’Brien made his fortune (The Guardian)

Earlier: Broadband Options

Yuriy Filatov, Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Ireland

Your editorial Mueller Report: Open Questions (March 26th), reflecting on the findings of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, in itself raises, perhaps unwittingly, some valid questions.

The article rather flatly declares that “we do know that the Russian government interfered repeatedly” in the US elections. That might be an article of faith (as well as useful political tool) in some quarters in Washington, but otherwise looks like a hollow allegation, not supported by any fact.

What kind of evidence is there to support such a claim? We certainly know the answer – there is none, since it has never been a policy of the Russian government to meddle in the US president elections, nor, for that matter, in the elections in any other country of the world.

One should respect the right of The Irish Times to hold an opinion of the US president and his policies. But is it not an interference in the US elections to make an outright claim that a legitimate president of a foreign country – whether you like him or not – is “unfit for office and must be replaced”? – Yours, etc,

Yuriy Filatov, Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Ireland, to the editor of the Irish Times

Fightski!

Irish Times Letters

Tuesday: But…But…

‘I’m Gonna Set It Straight, This Watergate’

This afternoon.

In Calais, France.

Lisa O’Carroll tweetz:

The new orange and green lanes for Brexit controls at Eurotunnel in Calais where media are being shown €15m worth of new infrastructure in place for potential no deal.

Meanwhile…

Lisa O’Carroll tweetz:

Finishing touches being out on the border inspection post in Eurotunnel in Calais. Nine inspection bays where trucks can be unloaded fully or partially: ground already reinforced for 44tonne trucks and 20 stables waiting to be built in next three weeks for horses

A trailer for Push.

A documentary by Swedish filmmaker Fredrik Gertten investigating why we can’t afford to live in our own cities

Frederik sez:

‘Housing prices are skyrocketing in cities around the world. Incomes are not. PUSH sheds light on a new kind of faceless landlord, our increasingly unliveable cities and an escalating crisis that has an effect on us all. This is not gentrification, it’s a different kind of monster.’

Push : The Movie

Thanks Wicked Fairy Sad

Former CEO of the FAI John Delaney

Watch Dáil proceedings live here

Earlier: Gauntlet Thrown

Broadsheet.ie