Sport Ireland has backed calls for the FAI president to withdraw from the race for re-election.
The sporting body is appearing before the Oireachtas sports committee this afternoon answering questions on the recent FAI governance review.
The hearing comes after the Sports Minister Shane Ross called on FAI President Donal Conway to withdraw his nomination for re-election to the role.
Mr Conway is the only person in the running for the position - despite promises the entire board would step down.
The position is due to be voted on at this weekend's AGM.
He has said he aims to remain in the role in an interim capacity; however, Minister Ross has called on him to step away "in the best interests of football."
FAI President
At the Oireachtas committee this afternoon, Sport Ireland chair Kieran Mulvey backed Minister Ross' call and said it is clear new faces are needed at football's governing body.
"We have no difficulty in regard to the statement made by the minister and it would be the view of Sport Ireland, the board of Sport Ireland and the office of Sport Ireland that the minister's wish in this regard be listened to very strongly and adhered to," he said.
He also said Sport Ireland agreed with the minister's view that there should be a quorum of six at FAI board meetings.
Investigations
Ahead of the meeting, Fianna Fáil spokesperson Marc MacSharry said he had voiced his concern about the " haste with which the FAI are proceeding" with organisational reform.
"They have had an internal governance review, which we support - but at the same time there are five other investigations underway so it would seem premature to be pressing ahead with EGMs AGMs and re-elections of new officers and leadership teams at a time when arguably we have yet to identify the full extent of the problems that may exist," he said.
He said the FAI needs "some form of an interim leadership team" while the rest of the investigations are carried out but warned it would be "foolish in the extreme" to press ahead with long-term elections in the mean time.
