Minister for Sport Patrick O'Donovan has called on the FAI to review its position in relation to its attendance at a Joint Oireachtas Committee hearing on Sport, which was due to be held on Wednesday.
The FAI said they were reluctantly deferring their appearance until a garda investigation into allegations of abuse of female footballers by male coaches in the 1990s had been concluded.
Minister O’Donovan told RTÉ News this morning that there is a massive range of issues that supporters and proponents of Irish football around the country would like to see discussed at the Oireachtas committee, and that it is not unreasonable that representatives of the State be able allowed to ask questions of the FAI, with the FAI being so heavily resourced by the State.
He added he did not want to see the relationship between the FAI and the State soured and urged the FAI to reconsider its position.
"I know that there's a lot of pressing issues in Irish football, and what I would say is if there are particular issues around courts and garda investigations, there are mechanisms available to them to alert the chairman that there are certain things that they can't answer.
"But I think the scope of the hearing here is so broad, that they should really reconsider their position, accept the invitation and engage."
Speaking to RTÉ News yesterday, Mr O’Donovan said as far as he was concerned, non-attendance by the FAI at the Committee on Sports and Media is not an option.
He said he will be seeking an immediate meeting with the FAI and Chairman of the Committee Alan Kelly.
Mr O’Donovan said there can not be a situation where the Government is funding entities that do not engage with the Oireachtas.
Committee members were concerned about how the FAI responded to issues raised in an RTÉ and Sunday Independent investigation into the mistreatment of female footballers by male coaches in the 1990s.
Chairperson of the Oireachtas Committee on Culture and Sport Alan Kelly said this morning that in the aftermath of the views expressed by the minister and the committee, he expects the FAI will reconsider their position in the next few hours.
"I would strongly encourage them to do so," he said.
In a letter sent to Alan Kelly on Friday, FAI CEO David Courell said it is with "great frustration, but in line with the garda position, that we will have to respectfully defer the invitation".
Mr Courell said that would remain the FAI position "until such time as the ongoing garda investigation has concluded".
The FAI said it had "respect for the important work" of the committee and had submitted documentation and prepared "diligently" for the encounter.
The FAI noted the assurance from the committee with regard to "avoiding any negative effect on the garda investigation", but added that "conflicting messages from the committee" had created "significant uncertainty and doubt" about the hearing.
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