The board and CEO of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) should resign over their "shambolic, arrogant, and incompetent" management of the national team's fixtures against Israel, according to People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger.
The call comes after the Republic of Ireland secured a 3-0 victory over Israel at the Nagyerdei Stadium in Debrecen, Hungary, on Sunday, in the first of two highly contentious games between the two sides.
The teams are scheduled to meet again this Sunday in Backa Topola, Serbia. What was originally slated to be a home game for the Republic of Ireland was moved to a neutral venue behind closed doors by the FAI due to "operational challenges".
Urging a boycott of the Serbian fixture, Coppinger stated that those responsible for making decisions regarding the matches should step down.
"Do you agree that the FAI handling was shambolic, arrogant, and incompetent, and the CEO and the board should resign for their handling of it," she asked Taoiseach Micheál Martin during Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil.
"The team was sent into a cauldron of racial abuse, monkey chants for one of the players, an IDF chant. A video circulated of Yosef Hadad, who was actually brought into the Oireachtas by Minister (Jennifer Carroll) McNeil, apparently stating that we (Israel) may lose the football, but the IDF always wins.
"Now, Taoiseach, I want to ask you about the government’s role because you got up and you made a speech at the UN where you said the situation in Gaza remains an affront to all that is decent, and let it not be said we did not act, and then two days later, you facilitated a sportswash in a game against Israel. You had an open goal and you kicked it into Row Z by not backing a cancellation of the match."
In response, the Taoiseach maintained that opposition to Israel should be voiced through diplomatic channels rather than sporting events, accusing Coppinger of attempting to score political points.
"The level of suffering inflicted on the civilian population in Gaza and even the West Bank is horrific, and it is an affront to human decency and in my view, the Irish government has been particularly strong in comparison to many other governments across the world in relation to this issue," he said.
"I’ve noticed since the outset of the war, it’s moved from issue to issue to issue, and the debate in Ireland seems to always focus on the government isn’t doing enough, and we’re almost dividing among ourselves what Ireland’s stance and how strong it is.
"I’m seeking more effective ways than a football match, frankly, to try and change Israeli direction and strategy, because Israel’s actions in the West Bank now, through settlements, threatens the two-state solution in a very, very serious way."
Although the Republic of Ireland squad decided during an emergency meeting on Saturday to fulfil the fixture, goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu refused to play in the controversial Nations League match on "principle".
Praising the Bolton player, Coppinger suggested that on-pitch gestures, such as wearing black armbands and refusing to shake hands with the Israeli team, did not go far enough.
"We all agree the players shouldn’t have been in that position. So you know that’s unanimous. You and the FAI put them in that position," she said.
Mr Martin reiterated that the Israeli Government is indifferent to football matches against Ireland, repeating his stance that any response must remain political rather than athletic.
Meanwhile, Republic of Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson admitted his squad remain uncertain about how they will approach Sunday's behind-closed-doors Nations League fixture in Serbia, revealing that the team are 'all uncomfortable' ahead of the game.
