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Football Association of Ireland

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 June 2020

Tuesday, 30 June 2020

Ceisteanna (295)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

295. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she has engaged with an organisation (details supplied) in 2020 regarding issuing funding to it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12993/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has not issued any funding to the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) in 2020.

My Department has engaged with the FAI in 2020 in relation to the payment of a multi-annual grant awarded through the administration of the EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund in 2016. The €150,073 grant, to be paid between April 2017 to April 2020, was awarded to the FAI following an open call for proposals for integration-related projects.

The relevant project combines football with English language teaching in order to integrate migrants into local communities. Such a project helps build engagement between established local communities and those newly joining those communities. EU funding covers 75% of the project cost and the FAI provide the remaining 25% of the cost.

The FAI received one (€45,000) instalment of their grant to date in 2017. Since the project commenced, Department officials have twice carried out spot checks to verify the expenditure. In addition, the FAI reports quarterly on financial and operational activities and these reports are reviewed by my Department.

A decision not to make any further instalment payments of the grant to the FAI was taken immediately after the CEO of Sport Ireland informed this Department, in April 2019, of its decision to withhold future funding to the FAI. The Department informed the FAI of this decision and that funding would only be restored once it become clear that confidence in governance for the organisation is re-established.

Following an audit of the FAI and revised guidance from Sport Ireland the following was agreed between the Department and the FAI in April 2020:

- My Department would restore funding from when it was suspended up until April 2019. However, the Department will retain funds until a final reconciliation is complete and a balancing statement will be issued.

- No extension would be provided to the Grant Agreement which ended on 9 April 2020.

- The FAI should provide quarterly reports and final reports to cover the period until the end of Grant Agreement.

At the time of this response the Department is awaiting reports and a final claim from the FAI for the previous 12 months.

Question No. 296 answered with Question No. 288.
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