Gavin Cooney

FAI CHAIRMAN TONY Keohane has emailed all staff at the football body following yesterday’s bruising appearance at the Public Accounts Committee. 

President Paul Cooke told the committee his confidence in CEO Jonathan Hill has been “challenged” by the events which led Hill to receive an €11,500 payment in lieu of holiday days that was both against the FAI employee handbook and ultimately contributed to the suspension of the FAI’s State funding.

That was because the money took Hill’s pay packet above the threshold permitted under the State bailout agreement of the FAI. The money was repaid and State funding since released. 

Hill maintains he did not request the holiday pay, telling the Public Accounts Committee yesterday he made a “throwaway line” at the end of an email to a junior colleague seeking pay in lieu of unused holiday days. Hill said he included the line, “Can you negotiate the same for me please, exclamation mark, question mark.” 

This email was submitted to the committee but almost entirely redacted. The line Hill read into the record was also redacted. 

Hill said the former finance director, who was copied on this email, interpreted Hill’s joke as a formal request for the money, and it was then granted by former chairman Roy Barrett. Hill said he had no awareness that this process was ongoing. 

PAC chairman Brian Stanley criticised the level of redaction in the email, calling it “an insult to the public”, and said the FAI’s reputation had been damaged. During the meeting, chairman Keohane acknowledged the FAI had suffered reputational damage. 

Keohane emailed all staff at the FAI today. In the email, seen by The 42, Keohane did not apologise for what happened at PAC, but said the board regrets the “negative noise”.

“I wanted to write to you following the events of the last few days and particularly the Public Accounts Committee appearance yesterday,” he wrote. 

“The Board regrets the negative noise that has been caused by yesterday’s events and acknowledges that headlines that may come in the next few days will be difficult and unfair for you to read and want to assure you that we will continue to focus on building back trust for the FAI. 

“We also regret that these events take the focus away from the phenomenal work being done by our staff and across all levels of Irish football – from grassroots to our League of Ireland through to our international teams. 

“While yesterday’s events were challenging, it is important to recognise that we had a significant and positive milestone this week with the launch of our Football Pathways Plan, a whole game plan to maximise the potential of Irish football. It’s important to bring the game together and the Board fully endorse this vision for the future.

“I am looking forward to a positive and progressive year ahead for the Association. 

“Wishing you all a good weekend.” 

Jonathan Hill sent a circular email to all FAI staff last November, apologising following the initial revelations about his holiday pay and the suspension of State funding.