I am a Shamrock Rovers supporter but, equally, I am a League of Ireland supporter. Deputy Joanna Byrne has been treated shockingly badly by the board of Drogheda United Football Club.

She is the first female chairperson of the club. She is the first female chairperson of a League of Ireland club, Her soul and heart have gone into building the club. When Deputy Byrne bleeds, she bleeds claret and blue. She bleeds Drogheda. For simply standing up for human rights and calling for a boycott of Israeli football, she has been targeted by certain members of the board and particularly by American investors who are attempting to force her to resign. These American investors do not own Drogheda United. The community owns Drogheda United. The club will be there long after those American investors have gone.

In many ways, if you target one of us, you target all of us. This whole topic is deeply emotive for Deputy Byrne, considering her grandfather's legacy. She has not gone to war with the club. Her grandfather was centrally involved for years, as was her whole family. She learned how to walk there. Her first steps were taken on Drogheda United's home pitch. She takes no pleasure in any of this. Anyone who knows her knows that her only focus is on Drogheda United winning the Louth derby on Friday night and bringing three points home to Drogheda.

Deputy Byrne has no intention of resigning. She did not make any comments in the name of the club and she stands strong in that regard. It must be remembered that 93% of the FAI membership, including Drogheda United, last November backed a motion to boycott Israeli football. It is a disgrace that certain members of the board are attempting to push her aside simply for publicly agreeing with that position.

Deputy Byrne is deeply involved in supporting her town. She should, and I know will, receive the full support of the League of Ireland community. I sincerely hope that people do not stay quiet. I stand with Deputy Byrne and I believe League of Ireland supporters do, too.