Sport Ireland orders review of child protection practices

Sport Ireland has mandated a comprehensive review of child protection practices across all national governing bodies of sport in Ireland following revelations of safeguarding gaps at the Football Association of Ireland (FAI). Chief Executive Dr. Una May will address this issue during a meeting with the Oireachtas Sports Committee, reminding state-funded sports organizations of their legal obligations under the National Vetting Bureau Acts 2012-2016 and the Children First Act 2015.

These organizations have been instructed to conduct an internal review of their processes, practices, and checks to ensure compliance with legal child protection standards. Responses are due by November 20.

The FAI's failure to appear before the committee, despite acknowledging safeguarding inconsistencies, has been criticized by Fianna Fáil committee member Peter Chaple. The FAI has reported significant numbers of safeguarding allegations in recent years, with 61 in 2024, 94 in 2025, and 39 in the first quarter of 2025. Garda Síochána has processed 50,000 vetting applications for the FAI since 2023, emphasizing that while vetting is crucial, it is not a complete safeguarding solution.

The Department of Sport supports implementing robust safeguarding policies and procedures across all sports levels, acknowledging the independent nature of governing bodies. Committee Chair Alan Kelly expressed interest in understanding how these bodies are collaborating to ensure compliance with Sport Ireland's codes and the Memorandum of Understanding with the Government, which ties FAI funding to public funding conditions.