Tag Archives: Shane Ross

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross

The Oireachtas Members’ Restaurant in Leinster House.

There’s a reason you can’t get a table lately.

Via RTÉ:

Between January and June, Minister Ross invited 507 guests to the Members’ Restaurant compared to Minister Jospeha Madigan‘s 95 guests.

Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys and Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone invited 56 and 42 guests, respectively.

Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan had 20 guests, Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy had 16, while Minister for Health Simon Harris had 14 recorded guests.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar had eight guests, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney and Minister for Communications and Climate Action Richard Bruton both had six.

Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed had four guests in the restaurant, while Minister for Social Affairs Regina Doherty had three.

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe, Minister Michael Ring of Rural Affairs and Minister for Education Joe McHugh are listed as having no invited guests during this time.

Ross invited 507 guests to Dáil restaurant in six months (RTÉ)

Rollingnews

From top: Waterford Regional Airport; Independent Alliance TD John Hallgian

Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Sean O’Rourke following reports that Minister for Transport Shane Ross went against the advice of officials in granting the investment, Mr Halligan said that down the years, such advice from civil servants has not been correct.

The €5m investment from the Government in Waterford Airport was “a small amount”.

He said the airport “was viable and hundreds of thousands of people were flying from there when you were able to land prop planes down through the years“.

Mr Halligan indicated it would be a case of “build it and they will come“, adding that the business would be there once you have the jets.

Good times.

€5m for Waterford Airport a ‘small amount’ – Halligan (RTÉ)

Earlier: A Limerick A Day

Undisputed Lightweight Boxing Champion of the World Katie Taylor asks during a press conference (with her manager Brian Peters, top) if Sports Minister Shane Ross – a lurking, photo-hungry presence at her arrival at Dublin Airport on Tuesday – is still behind her.

Previously: Give Him A Belt

Minister for Sport Shane Ross; letter from FAI to Mr Ross

Minister for Sport Shane Ross is currently addressing the Oireachtas sports committee.

He’s just said the entire FAI board is to step down.

He said:

“This move is to be welcomed and it is hopefully the first step on the road to rebuilding trust in this important NGB. Considering the issues over which most of this board has presided and those issues being obvious even before the various investigations have started, it is clearly time for a regime change.”

He also said no new capital payments will be made to the FAI until he is satisfied with the new measures put in place.

UPDATE:

Deloitte audit of FAI; chair of the committee Fergus O’Dowd, CEO of Sport Ireland John Treacy, Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy

UPDATE:

Mr Treacy tells the committee that no other organisation that receives grant funding from Sport Ireland has had a form H4 filed against them to the CRO.

In response to a question about this from Fine Gael TD Noel Rock, Mr Treacy said:

“Not that we’re aware of. Never heard of it before. So we’re hearing about this for the first time. We heard about it this morning.”

UPDATE:

Asked if funding will be restored to the FAI before the year is out, Mr Treacy said: “Well, there’s a lot of work to be done.”

He said there is a mechanism to fund on a monthly basis “but that’s an issue when all the various bits and pieces have been done”.

Watch live in link above

Pic (letter): Ruth Coppinger

Pic (audit): Gavan Reilly

Meanwhile

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

This morning.

Academy, Pearse Street, Dublin.

Gilet Jaune-clad Minister for Transport Shane Ross arriving for a special meeting of the Cabinet on International Women’s Day where the government will ratify the Istanbul Convention, which obliges governments to ‘protect women from all forms of violence, and prevent, prosecute and eliminate violence against women and domestic violence’.

Sam Boal/RollingNews

Update:

Inside the special cabinet meeting…

Sam Boal/RollingNews

Update:

Good times.

From left: Assistant Garda Commissioner David Sheahan, Minister for Transport  Shane Ross and RSA Chief Executive Moyagh Murdock launching a proposal to make it an offence to pass a cyclist closer than 1.5m on roads with 50kph limit or higher

Mr Ross said it had proved exceptionally difficult to draft legislation on a minimum passing distance that was constitutional and that could be enforced, and as a result the Bill would not proceed.

It is understood the Attorney General’s concerns centred on how the 1m and 1.5m distance could be measured for enforcement purposes.

He spoke too soon.

Spoke.

Suit yourselves.

New law on drivers overtaking cyclists abandoned (Irish Times)

Rollingnews

This afternoon.

The announcement of the Unaccompanied Learner Driver Provisions of the Road Traffic Act 2018.

Car owners who allow learner drivers to use their cars unaccompanied will face fines or jail from midnight tonight.

Noel Clancy is featured in a new TV and Radio advert describing the events leading up to and after a horrific accident which saw the death of his young daughter and partner.

The amendment is to be known as the Clancy amendment.

Top from left: CEO RSA (Road Safety Authority ) Ms Moyagh Murdock, Minister for Transport Tourism and Sport Shane Ross, Noel Clancy and Garda Assistant Commissioner David Sheahan.

Sam Boal/RollingNews