The FAI took a step closer to an €18m rescue package tonight with the appointment of three of four independent directors to the board.
Roy Barrett, the MD of Goodbody Stockbrokers, is the new chairperson, and he will be joined on the board by Catherine Guy, the CEO of Autolease Fleet Management, and Liz Joyce, the HR Director at the Central Bank of Ireland.
A fourth independent director is expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
The appointments, which were recommended by an outside recruitment agency and rubber-stamped at a FAI board meeting today, have been demanded by the Government since the publication of the Governance Review Group report last July.
Barrett said: “I have decided to take on the role of Non-Executive Chairman of the FAI at this critical time because I believe the organisation has an important role to play in developing the game at every level in Ireland.
“There is a serious job of work to be done to address the very significant failures which have beset the organisation in terms of its governance and its finances.
"The new Board will now deal with this task with urgency, working collaboratively with its stakeholders.”
Outgoing FAI President Donal Conway commented: “This is another milestone in the reform of the FAI and I am delighted to welcome Roy Barrett, Catherine Guy and Liz Joyce to the Board at this critical juncture.
“Roy, Catherine and Liz are outstanding candidates with skillsets which will bring real strengths to the Board.
"The appointment of an Independent Chairperson and Independent Directors is a significant step for the Association as it looks to restore public and government confidence in Irish football.
“I wish our new Chairperson and Independent Directors well and I would like to thank the Nominations Committee, Amrop and Sport Ireland for their work in getting the Association to this point."
