O'Byrne denies misuse of FAI card

FAI chief executive Bernard O'Byrne reacted angrily yesterday to allegations that he had "misused" an association credit card and denied that he faces questions regarding the issue at a meeting of the organisation's finance committee later this week.

Attributing the leaks that prompted the Sunday Tribune story - which came ahead of today's second meeting with the Government on the Eircom Park versus Stadium Ireland debate - to "well-known" critics, O'Byrne insisted that the issue had been satisfactorily addressed by the middle of last year and that he had considered it to be closed.

"Every penny spent by me," he said in a statement, "was spent within an authorised system and settled in full by me over a four-year period. When some inadvertent misallocations were brought to my attention, they were rectified immediately."

The accusations made in yesterday's article relate to the usage for personal purposes by O'Byrne of what is effectively a company credit card. He insists that the system whereby certain people within the association are entitled to use cards in this way, and then pay the money back, had been in place when he became a full-time employee of the organisation.

The article alleges a figure of £20,000, but it is understood that the association's chief executive never owed that much money to his employers, rather that the amount relates to the volume of personal usage over a period of time. Such amounts are believed to have been out of step with that of other senior Merrion Square officials, who interpreted the scheme as allowing them to use their card in this way only "in exceptional circumstances".

O'Byrne maintains that towards the end of last year's financial year, he settled what he believed was the outstanding amount. Then, at the request of FAI treasurer Brendan Menton, he reviewed his accounts and contributed a further £1,230 to cover hotel bills which had been mistakenly listed as business related.

Subsequently the system was abandoned at Menton's suggestion. However, as the system spilled over into this financial year, a final assessment of the figures has yet to be made.

O'Byrne now seems certain to face questioning on the matter at Friday's FAI Finance Committee meeting. O'Byrne expects the committee to view the issue for what it is - an attempt "to create maximum embarrassment for me and the FAI."