Sport Ireland orders review of child protection practices

Sport Ireland orders review of child protection practices across all national governing bodies of sport

Updated / Wednesday, 11 Nov 2026 01:12

Sport Ireland has ordered a review of child protection practices across all national governing bodies of sport after the emergence of safeguarding and vetting gaps at the Football Association of Ireland.

In an address to be delivered at the Oireachtas Sports Committee today, the Chief Executive of Sport Ireland Dr Una May will outline how she has written to all sporting bodies in receipt of state funding to "remind them of their legal obligations in relation to the National Vetting Bureau Acts 2012 to 2016 and the Children First Act 2015".

She will also tells TDs and Senators how "organisations have been tasked to undertake a review of the processes, practices and checks in place to ensure that legal child protection obligations are being adhered to at all levels in their sport, and to advise if they are satisfied with the self-declarations provided to Sport Ireland as part of the most recent Core safeguarding compliance submissions".

"The deadline for responses to this request is Friday, November 20," she adds.

Sport Ireland engages with more than 60 independent, autonomous National Governing Bodies of Sport as well as 29 Local Sports Partnerships across Ireland.

Word of the nationwide safeguarding review comes after the FAI last month revealed "inconsistencies" in the "recording and validation" of Garda vetting information for football coaches and match officials.

The association said it would undertake "a comprehensive review of safeguarding compliance records", as a result.

Dr May said Sport Ireland would continue to engage with the FAI on what has emerged and would "provide any guidance or support" but that the "decisions regarding the appropriate steps to take to address the issue are a matter for the FAI".

Today's meeting is listed under the heading "FAI safeguarding". However the association declined to appear before TDs and Senators this afternoon, something which Fianna Fáil committee member Peter "Chap" Cleere branded as both "disappointing and disgraceful".

In September, the FAI's Governance Director Deirdre Ardagh told the committee how the association received 61 reports of safeguarding allegations in 2024, 94 in 2025 and 39 this year so far.

Meanwhile, An Garda Síochána will tell the committee how it has processed 50,000 vetting applications for the FAI since 2023.

Representatives of the force will state that while "it is important to recognise that vetting, as provided by the legislation is a critical control measure, it is not a panacea for all safeguarding considerations".

In its address to TDs and Senators, the Department of Sport will say it "fully supports the implementation of effective safeguarding policies and procedures for adults and children across the sports sector, while acknowledging that governing bodies are independent, autonomous organisations responsible for their own governance including safeguarding procedures and disciplinary and complaints processes".

Speaking ahead of the meeting, committee chair Alan Kelly said: "Serious concerns were raised when the FAI appeared before this committee on September 30. Since then, the FAI has acknowledged inconsistencies in its FAI Connect system and has commissioned an independent review of its safeguarding framework.

"The committee wishes to establish how the department, Sport Ireland and An Garda Síochána are working with the FAI to ensure appropriate safeguarding measures are in place," the Labour Party Tipperary North TD said.

"The committee will be interested in understanding the monitoring functions of these bodies, how the FAI co-operates and whether they are satisfied that the FAI is delivering on its obligations under Sport Ireland's various relevant codes and the Memorandum of Understanding the FAI has with the Government, which is linked to significant public funding."