On page 13 of A Programme for a Partnership Government, there is a commitment to an open partnership approach and good governance. The Football Association of Ireland, FAI, board gave a commitment last month that it would stand down in July. This week there has been talk that all members bar one of the current board intend to put themselves forward to sit on the new board. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, at a recent meeting of the Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport assured everybody that we were now seeing the beginning of the end of the old FAI but if these reports are accurate, this means that the new FAI board will be almost identical to the old board. This farcical situation cannot be allowed to continue. What is the Government doing to ensure the FAI adheres to corporate governance reforms previously agreed?

While I have not been briefed on this, I am clear that Sport Ireland and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport have signalled their expectations of the way in which those receiving State support would behave and the level of corporate governance that they would have and both those bodies will be alert to ensure that high standards are delivered in this area. I know the Oireachtas committee will be vigilant in ensuring that is the case.