The 42

THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION of Ireland has today voted to meet the State’s gender balance requirements at the second attempt. 

The vote salvages half of the FAI’s State funding for next year. 

FAI delegates voted 95% in favour to change the football body’s rules to add another two female members to their board, and meet the government’s demand for a minimum of 40% representation. 

At an Extraordinary General Assembly held prior to the annual AGM in Dublin today, 110 delegates voted in favour, with six voting against. There were no abstentions among 116 delegates. 

The rule changes allow for the addition of another two directors to the FAI board, expanding the board to 14 members. Both of the additional members must be female: one is to be elected from the football constituencies, and another is to be an external, independent director. 

FAI delegates also voted for a rule which requires the FAI’s General Assembly to have 40% female representation by the end of 2025. 

The government have mandated that all national sports bodies to commit to a minimum of 40% female representation on their boards by the end of this year. Any body failing to achieve that balance will have half of their State funding cut from next year, which would cost the FAI €4.3 million. 

The successful vote follows a failed vote at an EGM last month, at which the necessary rule changes did not pass. 

The primary opposition to last month’s vote was due to the fact the additional members would maintain an even split of elected football directors and independent directors on the FAI board. When the issue was raised on the floor at today’s EGM, outgoing FAI president Gerry McAnaney explained the even split of football and independent directors is insisted upon by Minister of Sport Thomas Byrne. 

The even split was initially instituted under the Memorandum of Understanding which underpinned the State bailout of the FAI in 2020, but that agreement expires at the end of this year. FAI company secretary Gerry Egan explained that the Minister has made the even split a condition of any future funding of the FAI, beyond the expiration of the MOU. 

Written by Gavin Cooney and posted on the42.ie