The Football Association of Ireland has today informed Members of the General Assembly of Roy Barrett’s intention to step down from his position as Chair of the FAI Board.
Independent Director Gary Twohig is also to step down and will now not be seeking ratification as a Director of the FAI at the resumed AGM on January 21st.
Roy Barrett to step down from his position as Chair of the FAI Board. Independent Director Gary Twohig is also to step down.@VMSportIE @VirginMediaNews
— Bernard O'Toole (@BernardOToole) January 11, 2023
Barrett took up the position of Chairperson in 2020 at a critical time and has been a key figure in stabilising the Association over the past three years.
He's confirmed that he will continue in his role until a suitable replacement is appointed in the coming months.
In a statement to the General Assembly, Barrett said: "My intention to step down from my position provides a clear opportunity for the Board, to ensure that at least 40% of the Directors are female by the end of 2023, as required by the Constitution, and the Memorandum of Understanding with Government.
"This is something that I feel very strongly about, and I am convinced that this is in the best long-term interest of the FAI and the game of football in Ireland.
"I have been Chairperson for the last three years and, whilst there have been many challenges, I am pleased with the progress that the organisation has made over the period. We now have much greater financial stability, we have a new CEO and management team which I am increasingly impressed with and there is a clear direction for our sport in Ireland, as evidenced by the 2022-2025 Strategy we approved last year."
Significant news from the FAI - Roy Barrett stepping down as Chairperson of FAI, as they seek to ensure 40% female representation on board by end of the year under terms of government bailout
— Gavin Cooney (@gcooney93) January 11, 2023
Gary Twohig was first elected to the Board as an Independent member at the May 2021 AGM and subsequently appointed as Chairperson of the FAI’s Commercial Committee.
In this role, he has supported the restructuring of the FAI’s commercial, marketing and communications functions.
Commenting on his decision, he said: "The FAI has committed to having a more gender-balanced Board with at least two more female Board members needing to be appointed by the end of this year.
"To help ensure we deliver on that commitment I have taken the decision to step down from my position as an independent Director. It has been a privilege to work alongside my fellow board members and I am proud of what we have been able to achieve together with Jonathan Hill and the FAI Senior Leadership team in the last few years."
The FAI will conduct an executive search for the recruitment of Independent Directors to replace Roy and Gary on the Board through an open, public process which will be overseen by the Association’s Nominations Committee in the coming months.
