News

Windsor redevelopment in doubt

A £26 MILLION funding agreement to redevelop Windsor Park could be in doubt after David Martin was re-elected as Irish FA vice-president just three years after he was forced to quit. Martin left the role in 2010 after the sacking of chief executive Howard Wells cost the IFA £500,000 in an unfair dismissal case. Following the case, all senior roles were subject to a suitability assessment - a move which blocked Mr Martin's return.

However, the IFA later voted to remove such assessments. Mr Martin was elected unopposed at a meeting of the association's council on Monday night, the BBC reported. Yesterday the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure said although the IFA's election process was a matter for its members, the department "needed to be assured that the past failings in governance and accountability within the IFA, resulting in significant financial payouts by the organisation cannot be repeated". It said the decision to "remove the requirement for those seeking election to senior positions to be approved by an independent commission is seen by the department as a retrograde step and potentially breaches existing funding agreements between the department and the IFA for development costs associated with the redevelopment of Windsor Park". Two new stands are due to be built at Windsor Park and two others are to be refurbished to increase the ground's capacity from 12,000 to 18,000.