The FAI has appointed one of the country’s most senior civil servants to its board as a fourth independent director.
Robert Watt, who is the secretary-general of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, will sit alongside fellow independents Roy Barrett, Catherine Guy and Liz Joyce.
“I’m honoured and delighted to take up this role and I look forward to assisting with the reform of the association,” said Watt.
FAI Chairman Barrett said: “Robert brings a wealth of financial and governance experience and will play a vital role as we deliver real change for football in Ireland.”
And FAI President Gerry McAnaney added: “I look forward to working closely with him on the fully constituted board.”
Watt is a board member of the National Treasury Management Agency and was previously involved in the Troika and Brexit negotiations.
Under the terms of the FAI’s Government bailout in January, the association must appoint six independent directors.
That is despite the initial Governance Review document recommending four independents with the other eight board members coming from football channels.
The proposed six-six split - with the casting vote going to Barrett - is the cause of an increasingly bitter feud within Irish football.
Some FAI Council members have already expressed the belief that ‘outside forces’ will ultimately take control of Irish football.
But the new Government insists the FAI will not receive any state funding until the six independent board directors are appointed.
As it stands, the interim FAI board members are McAnaney, Paul Cooke, Martin Hegarty, Dick Shakespeare, John Finnegan, Dave Moran, Ursula Scully, Joe O'Brien,
Barrett, Guy, Joyce and Watt
