FAI officials appeared before the Oireachtas Committee on Sport for yet another bruising encounter.
The controversy around the Nations League games against Israel dominated throughout. However, TDs and Senators also raised several concerns about safeguarding within the FAI.
Here, political correspondent Barry Lenihan looks at 10 key takeaways:
1. 'The goalkeepers shouldn't be left out'
There was a sharp intake of breath in Committee Room One in the bowels of Leinster House when it was revealed nobody had spoken to the three goalkeepers in the Republic of Ireland squad prior to selection for the contentious Israel fixtures.
Bolton netminder Gavin Bazunu pulled out on the eve of last Sunday’s game, saying it would be wrong to participate - thereby triggering a day of high drama in the Ireland camp.
His stance was commended by several TDs on the Oireachtas Committee on Sport, but the sequence of events leading to his withdrawal brought many uncomfortable questions for FAI officials.
"Truthfully, it doesn't look like anyone spoke to the goalkeepers," admitted the FAI’s Director of Football John Martin.
Last Saturday, Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson acknowledged he had only spoken to his outfield players in the run-up to the games.
On numerous occasions, FAI CEO David Courell referenced a one-hour meeting in August - where Hallgrimsson visited Bazunu at his club. However, he ultimately acknowledged that the Israel games never came up.
"I’m a goalkeeper - the goalkeepers definitely shouldn’t be left out", stated People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett.
The committee heard how the players held a meeting about the Israel game on Friday after the previous night’s defeat to Kosovo. Mr Courell claimed Bazunu agreed at that point to travel to Hungary but then decided to withdraw.
"Lo and behold....one player changed their mind. That’s exactly how it was positioned. 'I’ve changed my mind gaffer. I want to withdraw from the squad," he explained.
FAI officials also rejected claims Bazunu had been excluded from the subsequent players' vote.
"After the decision to take the vote, we told the players to go back to their rooms, speak to loved ones and return to vote. He (Bazunu) decided not to return. He wasn’t excluded," explained Mr Martin, who added that Bazunu’s opposition to the Israel match was counted in the ultimate ballot despite his absence.
The FAI defended their protection of the goalkeeper last week - noting how he had the support of a clinical psychologist.
Officials also rejected assertions he’d been shunned by anyone in the squad, with Heimir Hallgrimsson today adding how "a lot of lies" had been written about the Bazunu situation since last weekend.
2. 'Not a Nice Referendum'
FAI bosses revealed how two player votes took place on the eve of last weekend’s game in Debrecen.
However, CEO David Courell denied suggestions the second ballot was to "get the result we [the FAI] wanted", saying it wasn’t akin to the Nice referendums of 2001/2002 when the Government went back to the people a second time in just over a year after they’d initially rejected the proposal.
"It was felt there was greater clarity needed," explained FAI President Paul Cooke, when pressed by Committee Chair Alan Kelly as to the necessity of the second vote.
"People in the room took a collective decision that a second vote was required," added Mr Cooke before Mr Courell jumped in.
He told TDs and Senators how the first vote was triggered when Heimir Hallgrimsson's squad couldn’t reach consensus after Gavin Bazunu’s withdrawal, with a second vote seemingly called for after the first ballot showed a significant cohort against playing Israel.
"It was felt that with those numbers, in light of knowing the amount of people who were against playing the game, would it affect anyone’s decision?" explained Mr Courell.
"We wanted them to be armed with full information so that we could have a confident read on the room before we made our decision. And again, we will own that. We took the decision to play the game," he added.
FAI officials demurred from answering when it was put to them that nine players had voted against fulfilling the fixture. Mr Courell didn’t state whether there was a change of question or final voting numbers between the first and second rounds.
"It’s kind of critical," stated committee chair Alan Kelly as the hearing neared its endgame.
"We’re not getting into that," twice responded Mr Courell.
3. Budapest
FAI officials were quizzed on alleged indecencies towards female players during a senior women’s national team trip to Hungary in 2023.
Fine Gael Senator Evanne Ní Chuilinn raised the allegations from the Budapest trip.
"A man in a towel went into a team room when a player was getting a medical massage. The concern is that the Ireland women's team, with quite a few young players, were stalked and harassed and the police were called," she told the committee.
FAI People & Culture Director Aoife Rafferty confirmed she was aware of the incident.
Senator Ní Chuilinn said no security personnel had travelled to Budapest with the team.
FAI CEO David Courell confirmed security personnel had been detailed to the women’s team "since 2024 or 2025" and was doubled to two personnel in 2025.
Director of Football John Martin confirmed how one male and one female security provider have accompanied Carla Ward’s side "with the last couple of camps".
4. Brian Kerr
FAI President Paul Cooke confirmed he contacted Virgin Media seeking a clarification over comments made by former Ireland boss Brian Kerr.
The St Patrick’s Athletic man was one of the initial backers of the Stop the Game campaign against the Israel games going ahead and on Saturday, called for the FAI board and chairman to resign when speaking as a pundit on Virgin.
"Did the FAI or anyone on behalf of the FAI threaten defamation proceedings against Virgin Media or Brian Kerr personally for the use of the word ‘gerrymandered’?" asked Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon, referring to comments Mr Kerr made on the FAI General Assembly vote for the Israel matches to go ahead.
"We asked for clarification," said Mr Cooke, who confirmed he personally contacted Virgin Media but didn’t mention any potential defamation action.
5. "You can make all the shrugs and smirks you want!"
Some of the spikiest exchanges in Committee Room One came when Sinn Féin Louth TD Joanna Byrne entered the fray for questioning.
Deputy Byrne was removed as co-chairperson of Drogheda United in March by its US owners after expressing her opposition to the Israel Nations League games.
"You can make all the shrugs and smirks you want over there Paul Cooke, but now is the time you answer to the people who are asking you these questions here today," she said to the FAI President as they clashed over the level of support in the Irish football community for the Israel fixtures.
"Where was your leadership in all this?" asked the Louth TD.
She later crossed swords with FAI CEO David Courell after expressing her belief the FAI had done lasting damage to Irish football by playing Israel.
"You’re a football woman. You know the game. We’re all here simply trying to do our best for Irish football...I strongly refute any claim we’ve cast shame on this game. Everyone involved in this organisation is a volunteer or employee simply trying to do their job as best they can," stated Mr Courell.
"You’re making our country complicit in sports washing and genocide," interrupted Deputy Byrne.
"I absolutely refute that," the FAI CEO quickly retorted.
This sparring match is likely to re-ignite sooner rather than later, with chair Alan Kelly indicating he wants the FAI to return to the committee in the near future.
6. Underage Investigation
The FAI’s Head of Human Resources Aoife Rafferty confirmed there had been one investigation this year into an underage coach.
She was responding to Fine Gael Senator Evanne Ní Chuilinn, who had asked if there were "any live investigations into an underage international coach conducted this year".
Ms Rafferty declined to offer any more details when asked if the investigation related to historic allegations.
The FAI had told the Committee in advance that it couldn’t discuss historic cases owing to a criminal investigation by gardaí, much to the annoyance of some committee members.
Today’s hearing followed a similar one last year which discussed concerns raised in a joint RTÉ/Sunday Independent investigation on alleged inappropriate behaviour by male coaches towards female players in the 1990s.
7. The Idah incident
An alleged racist incident involving goalscorer Adam Idah during Sunday’s game against Israel is being assessed by the FAI.
During the first half, Jayson Molumby asked match officials to listen to alleged monkey chants from the tiny number of supporters in the stadium. According to reports, UEFA said that Molumby had not explicitly mentioned racism to the officials, and that officials had not heard any of the chanting taking place.
UEFA protocols mean that no action can be taken as no incident was reported on the pitch - a point reiterated this afternoon by FAI Director of Football John Martin.
However, some TDs claimed the players had been let down by the FAI in Debrecen.
Mr Martin and Social Democrats Sports Spokesperson Daniel Ennis clashed when the latter claimed the players should have been briefed about the potential for a racist incident on Sunday.
"It’s a diverse group, we do have to take that into account," explained Mr Martin.
"That’s very poor John, very poor," insisted Deputy Ennis, himself a former League of Ireland footballer.
8. United Ireland League
US President Donald Trump may have desire for a United Ireland, but it appears there is little appetite for a United Ireland league within the FAI.
When asked by Fine Gael Longford-Westmeath TD Michael Carrigy of the potential for an all-island league, FAI Director of Football John Martin replied that it wasn’t on the agenda in the short-term.
"One of the sticking points is the European spots allocation. I don't believe we will see it in the short-term, but there could be an introduction of some competitions for men and women," he explained.
Fine Gael Senator Mark Duffy returned to the topic later in the proceedings - outlining how he had worked on an all-island premier division structure with the guarantee of an extra European football place.
However, he too didn’t receive much encouragement.
9. Cost of Not Playing
FAI officials were asked on several occasions on the financial implications for not fulfilling the Israel fixtures.
Under questioning, David Courell confirmed UEFA - whom the FAI had held discussions with around 20 times over the last 18 months on the contentious games -hadn't threatened any specific sanctions on the FAI should Ireland have boycotted the matches.
However, the FAI CEO pointed to €5.5m in immediate costs, and a "possible" €4.8m for dropping down in the Nations League from C to B and a reduced participation fee largely as per rules already set by UEFA.
"We believe it would have an impact on ticketing and sponsorship," he added, pointing to a potential "multiplier" of the aforementioned costs.
The figures were also based on Ireland being in Nations League C for one term, with 50% of teams who drop down automatically returning up to League B.
He also confirmed the FAI hadn’t asked the Government to underwrite the potential costs of boycotting the Israel matches.
10. Soundbite
The Oireachtas Committee rooms are often fertile ground for invaluable soundbites for TDs and Senators.
But today's proceedings produced a skirmish over the very word.
The FAI's Governance Director Deirdre Ardagh was asked on several occasions for the number of safeguarding allegations that have been received by the FAI in recent years - eventually confirming 61 reports in 2024, 94 in 2025 and 39 last year.
However, Fianna Fáil TD Peter "Chap" Cleere pressed Ms Ardagh for the number of coaches in the League of Ireland who were Garda vetted.
"Are all coaches [Garda vetted]," asked the Carlow-Kilkenny TD.
"I've answered the question in the context as to what my expectation is...," replied Ms Ardagh.
"We want to deal with the facts. Expectation! Jesus!" gasped Deputy Cleere.
"I'm not going to mislead the committee and I'm not going to give you a soundbite," stated Ms Ardagh.
Ms Ardagh subsequently withdrew her use of the word soundbite under instruction from committee chair Alan Kelly.
