IT’S A FAIR DEAL
Union backing bailout plan for Association
SIPTU, the union representing the FAI’s regional development officers and other staff, has rowed in foursquare behind the ratification of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Its support is a further boost for Roy Barrett, the independent FAI chairman, who is committed to implementing the reforms attached to the MoU, which would release almost €20million in much-needed funding.
Siptu’s Denis Hynes insisted last night that the MoU was ‘the only show in town’ and must be ratified as soon as possible to avert the threat of job losses, or worse, for the FAI.
‘We want to see the MoU honoured and any uncertainty over our members’ employment removed,’ said Mr Hynes. ‘It must be remembered that, before the bailout, the FAI were facing the prospect of making a third of their staff redundant. I think the sooner the better the MoU is ratified at an EGM. Passing it is the only show in town.’
The FAI was reminded on Thursday that all
State funding, which includes its slice of the Covid-19 relief fund, is on hold until the terms of the MoU are passed at an EGM. Between the balance of Sport Ireland’s 2019 grant aid, and what was promised for 2020 in the MoU, the FAI is due around €8.7million. In addition, the FAI is seeking around €10m of the €40m promised by the Government to the three major field sports to help cope with the fall-out from the coronavirus. The windfall hinges on the EGM approving changes to the FAI’s constitution whereby the board will consist of six football directors and six independent directors, one of whom will be the chair. Barrett (above) and the other independent directors Catherine Guy and Liz Joyce, are focused on delivering the MoU in spite of opposition from the eight football directors, who are adamant the balance of power in the FAI should stay on the football side of the pitch. Speculation that ceding control in the boardroom to non-football people may lead to privatisation of the FAI has been rejected by Hynes. ‘No, I don’t see the FAI being privatised under these changes,’ he said. ‘If you’re faced with the choice of losing jobs or introducing extra outside expertise to the board, as was the case in January, a reasonable person would choose the latter.’ Siptu is understood to represent around half of the FAI’s 200 employees.