By Joe Leogue
Irish Examiner Reporter
An accountancy firm carrying out a forensic audit of the FAI’s finances has requested extra time to complete their probe “in light of developments in recent days”.
The delay comes following the announcement that controversial former CEO John Delaney has left the Association following an undisclosed agreement between the parties.
Sport Ireland has today contacted the Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism, and Sport to inform it that an audit by accountancy firm KOSI will not be ready by next week, as anticipated.
In an email seen by the Irish Examiner, Sport Ireland CEO John Treacy sought to postpone a planned meeting with the Committee on October 16, at which the findings of the KOSI audit were due to be discussed.
“KOSI Corporation were scheduled to submit a draft report to Sport Ireland next week,” Mr Treacy wrote.
“In light of developments in recent days, KOSI have requested additional time to seek and review extra material from the FAI.
"Given the vital importance of this matter, this request for additional time has been granted by Sport Ireland.
“It is important to note that once Sport Ireland receives the draft audit report, it will be issued to our legal advisors for their legal opinion on any relevant matters raised. The report will also be presented to Sport Ireland's Audit & Risk Committee and/or Board for consideration.
“There is also a requirement to issue the draft report to the FAI and/or any relevant parties for their review and comment. These steps are all part of our internal governance processes and are required within any audit process to ensure fair procedures are afforded to all parties. These necessary steps will take some time before the final report is issued to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross TD.
“In circumstances where the audit process has not concluded, Sport Ireland considers that the meeting on 16th October to discuss FAI matters is premature. We respectfully request that the Committee considers deferring the discussion on this subject until the process has concluded,” Mr Treacy said.
Fine Gael TD Noel Rock, a member of the committee, has said he is concerned at the reason sought for the delay.
“The reasoning for this delay is disconcertingly vague,” Mr Rock told the Irish Examiner.
“What new information did KOSI receive and when did they receive it? I think it’s only fair that we ask for and get answers to these questions which would underpin the fundamental question - on what basis did Sport Ireland sanction this delay?
“To an onlooker, this would look like an attempt to put space between Mr. Delaney’s pay-off and the first report on bad governance within the FAI being published or, in football terms, a clearance to Row Z,” he said.
