No end in sight in dispute between Klub Kildare and KDUL
Photo for illustrative purposes only
The ongoing dispute between Klub Kildare and the Kildare and District Underage League (KDUL) regarding the allocation of a Sports Capital Grant that in part funded a new astroturf facility on the grounds of Killashee Hotel escalated further over the Easter weekend.
The KDUL commissioned consultants Deloitte to produce a report into an investigation into KDUL bank accounts and the allocation of that grant.
Based on that report, an article appeared in the Sunday Independent on Easter Sunday which alleged, among things, that a €350,000 grant was used to develop an all-weather pitch for a League of Ireland academy team rather than for the football league who cater for over 6,000 underage players.
The same day, the interim committee of the KDUL issued a statement. In it, it states that FBD Park remains under control of Klub Kildare and that KDUL teams have been denied access to the FBD Park facility and that the ground has been vacated leaving the league without a home.
“Our priority is now to reassert control over the League's assets, including FBD Hotel & Resorts Park (FBD Park) which should rightfully be KDUL HQ,” read some of the statement.
The KDUL committee have asked Klub Kildare to return control to the Kildare Academy CLG so that FBD Park can be used for the benefit of the KDUL.
Klub Kildare issued their own statement the following day. Included in their statement they make the point that they have not received the Deloitte report and were therefore not in a position to make any comment or take any action on foot of it. They say they are available to engage in constructive dialogue with the KDUL Interim Committee.
In the statement they also deny that there were any irregularities pertaining to Sports Capital Grants or payments of any kind to any of their members.
They (Klub Kildare) have urged the KDUL committee to engage in dialogue with representatives of their own organisation with a view to a compromise that would see both bodies have use of the facility at the Kilashee Hotel.
“The Committee urge the KDUL IC to constructively engage with the Committee in an appropriate forum that is transparent, includes an independent arbiter(s) to discuss how best to proceed and co-exist for mutual benefit and the advancement of Kildare soccer for all the players, parents, coaches and volunteers in the county whom we both represent," said part of the Klub Kildare statement.
At the moment, the saga remains in limbo.
On Friday, the Kildare Nationalist asked Brian Sheridan of the KDUL interim committee to furnish this newspaper with a copy of the Deloitte report so that it can carry out its own investigations. At the time of going to print, that report has not been received.
