The FAI has announced it will create a €300,000 fund to help clubs who are struggling to meet contractual obligations to players.
The FAI board agreed to the fund today and said it will be split between the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland (PFAI) and the FAI.
It said it has contacted the PFAI, via SIPTU, on matching the amount that the board has approved
The FAI said the fund would be "solely" for SSE Airtricity League clubs "who experience difficulty in unforeseen circumstances in fulfilling contractual obligations to professional players."
The announcement comes after recent strikes by Bray Wanderers' players who had been owed outstanding wages from June. Players from Limerick FC had also not been paid wages in a month and were proposing strike action before the issue was resolved last week.
The FAI says the proposed fund would work as follows:
- A total of €300,000 (split equally between the FAI and the PFAI) would be placed into an escrow account to help professional players who are left unpaid by SSE Airtricity League clubs
- The fund can only be accessed by clubs participating in the SSE Airticity League if they are unable to fulfil contractual agreements with their players
- If an SSE Airtricity League club chooses to activate the fund then immediate sanctions will be imposed. The sanctions, to be agreed, will range from deducted points to an embargo on registering new players
- This fund can only be accessed as a last resort by clubs to resolve wages owed to professional players and clubs must repay, in full, all monies received by end of season or further sanctions will apply
The FAI says it is awaiting a response from the PFAI in the coming days.
Digital Desk
