Daniel Ennis urges FAI board to resign over Israel fixtures

Social Democrats TD and Sport Spokesperson Daniel Ennis has accused the Irish Football Association of leaving the national team exposed, saying the players have been 'hung out to dry' as the board faces calls to resign ahead of Sunday's UEFA Nations League clash with Israel.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) is scheduled to appear before the Oireachtas Sports Committee today. The committee will hear how the decision to keep the controversial Israel fixtures was taken in what the spokesperson calls the best interests of Irish football. CEO David Courell and other senior officials will field questions from TDs and Senators this afternoon. The committee, chaired by the Minister for Sport, will examine the board's accountability and the duty of care owed to the players.

FAI to face Oireachtas scrutiny

The FAI will also address preparations for last weekend's match in Hungary, which were thrown into chaos at the eleventh hour. Ennis said the board left the players exposed as the match proceeded despite the turmoil. He argued that the board's handling of the Hungary fixture demonstrated a lack of transparency. The televised fixture attracted a peak audience of 573,000 on RTÉ.

Players and public pressure mounts

Eight Republic of Ireland players have already indicated they do not wish to face Israel, Ennis told RTÉ's Morning Ireland. "All the weight was on the players," he said, adding that the board has put a "dark stain" on Irish football. He warned that the public's frustration could translate into a "shambolic" and "shameful" protest at the Aviva Stadium when Ireland meets Austria the following night. He expects a large turnout demanding the Sunday match be cancelled.

Ennis also urged the board to intervene and stop the Sunday match, questioning what would happen if the players called another vote. "From a footballing point of view, I wouldn't like to go out on a pitch knowing eight of my players don't want to be on that pitch," he argued. He also suggested that any further vote by the players would be moot without board intervention. He repeated that the crisis demands immediate answers on accountability, transparency and duty of care.

People Before Profit TD Ruth Coppinger echoed the call for resignation, demanding a boycott of Sunday's fixture. She highlighted the racial abuse and IDF chants directed at the team, and praised goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu for withdrawing from the squad last weekend. Coppinger cited a video of Yosef Hadad, brought before the Oireachtas by Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, as evidence of the political dimension of the games. She also criticised the government's role, noting the Taoiseach's recent UN speech on Gaza.

The Oireachtas committee is set to hear the FAI's response later today, leaving the fate of the Israel match and the board's future uncertain. Ennis concluded that the association must provide clear answers or risk further damage to Irish football. The outcome of the committee hearing will likely shape whether the Sunday match proceeds as planned.