Statement from Board & President Donal Conway

In response, the Board of the FAI would like to make the following comments: 

• The current Board of the FAI will, as indicated previously, stand down at the AGM on July 27th and remains fully committed to governance reform
• The report from the independent Governance Review Group, for the FAI Board and Sport Ireland, states: “The Group consider that, for handover and transition purposes and to manage the serious risks where everyone leaves at once, at least one or possibly a maximum of two members might consider putting themselves forward for positions on the Interim Board.”  
• In accordance with the report, endorsed by the FAI and Sport Ireland, two members of the current Board have been nominated by AGM members to stand for the positions of President and Vice-President
• Only one nomination for the position of President has been forthcoming from AGM members whereas 3 nominations have been received for the role of Vice President.
• All eligible Council members have been aware since the letter to Minister Ross of April 16th  - confirming that the current Board would step down on July 27th  - that elections for these roles would take place on July 27th.
• This position was further confirmed at the independent Governance Review Group, for the FAI Board and Sport Ireland Report, launch on June 21st
• On receipt of the independent Governance Review Group, for the FAI Board and Sport Ireland Report, the FAI immediately began drafting proposed new rules, a proposed new Constitution and proposed new Terms of Reference for the Committees to be established in accordance with the independent Governance Review Group, for the FAI Board and Sport Ireland Report recommendations as endorsed by the FAI and Sport Ireland.  Following that work, nominations for election were sought  
• The independent Governance Review Group, for the FAI Board and Sport Ireland Report,  also states that to be eligible for consideration for the position of President or Vice President of the Interim Board, a nominee should be a serving member of Council and have at least 2 years Council membership experience.   
• The new President will not chair the Interim Board as per the recommendations and the Interim Board will be chaired by an Independent Director as per the independent Governance Review Group, for the FAI Board and Sport Ireland Review Group proposals
• The proposed constitutional change regarding the quorum for the Board states that it shall be two members of the Board of Management or such other number as may be specified in the Rules.  Therulebook states that the quorum is 6.  Therefore, the quorum is 6.
• The FAI notes the Minister’s ongoing interest in and concern for the game of Association Football and shares the Minister’s desire to improve governance all across the Association
• The Board and Executive remain in regular contact with Sport Ireland and have met with them on a number of occasions, as recently as today and last Friday
• The Board will consider the Minister’s letter in full at its next meeting