Cycling Ireland officials
have been invited to appear before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism,
Culture, Arts, Sport and Media on March 9th.
The invitation has been
issued, at the instigation of Fine Gael TD Ciaran Cannon, so that recent
controversies in the organisation can be inquired into. The committee’s
hearings are public events and are broadcast online, meaning members of the public
can view them live or on reply.
The invitation has been
issued to Cycling Ireland chief executive, Matt McKerrow, and to the chair of
the organisation, which appears to be board member Conor Campbell as he was
vice president when president Liam Collins resigned last week.
“Recent developments within Cycling Ireland give me great
cause for concern. There have been recent reports regarding tensions and
conflict within the organisation, along with a number of resignations from
members of the board,” Mr Cannon said.
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“This is a national sporting body which continues to
receive very substantial State funding, yet its governance structures seem to
be exceptionally weak, with a level of disharmony amongst its leadership. We
need complete reassurance that these issues are being comprehensively addressed
so that Cycling Ireland can continue to receive State financial support.
“I was very pleased to see the recent appointment of
Nicholas Roche as Cycling Ireland’s director sportif for our elite cyclists. He
has huge experience of competing at the very highest level, and this
appointment is a really positive development for Irish cycling as a whole.
“Mr Roche needs the support of a fully competent board
and executive, and as a member of Cycling Ireland, I most certainly want to see
complete trust restored in the organisation.
“That’s why I’ve asked for the chair and CEO to appear
before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and
Media to do exactly that; restore trust and reassure us that a major programme
of reform is underway. I’m pleased that my colleagues on the committee have
agreed to my request.
“An invitation has now been issued for the chair and CEO
to appear before the committee on March 9th to
discuss governance structures and related reforms within Cycling Ireland. I
also look forward to hearing evidence that Cycling Ireland is intent on
expanding its role to include advocacy for safer roads and better
infrastructure for all cyclists.”
