The FAI-commissioned Mazars report, which was initially due to be completed last summer, remains unpublished.

Payments totalling €95,000 purportedly made from the FAI to a former girlfriend of ex-FAI CEO John Delaney have been discovered in the Mazars probe into FAI affairs.

Susan Keegan, who was in a relationship with the then CEO Delaney a decade ago, engaged with officials from Mazars, the consultancy firm hired by the FAI last year to look into the financial affairs of the association.

They had been examining a payment of €60,000 from an FAI account to an account in Keegan's name, described as a match agent's fee for a role in arranging two friendly internationals against England, but extra payments of €35,000 have now been discovered as part of the Mazars examination of FAI finances.

Keegan has denied receiving the majority of the payments. Mazars officials have been unable to access invoices in the FAI's accounting system to explain the figures.

Former FAI finance director Tony Dignam said yesterday that "payments were approved by the CEO and a number of senior members of the board".

The FAI-commissioned Mazars report, which was initially due to be completed last summer, remains unpublished.

A KOSI report into the FAI, commissioned by Sport Ireland, has been completed but was not made public and has been referred to the Gardaí. A probe by the ODCE (Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement) is ongoing.

Mazars were appointed by the FAI board a year ago today to "conduct an independent and in-depth external review of all matters" at the association.

At the time, the FAI said the board requested "that this review be completed as soon as possible".

Twelve months on, the final Mazars report has not been presented to Sport Ireland or the Oireachtas Committee on sport and has not been published.

Irish Independent