Irish Football’s future secured following significant funding package – Griffin

• Sport’s Ireland Funding reinstated and will be doubled to €5.8million

After months of uncertainty, the future of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has been secured after agreement on a significant funding package, according to Fine Gael’s Brendan Griffin. 

“Today’s announcement will mean that the staff, players, coaches, volunteers, the schoolboy and girls clubs and the League of Ireland can be reassured that their futures are secured.

“The agreement reached today will restore Sport’s Ireland Funding for football development programmes of €2.9 million. That will double to €5.8mililn from 2020 to 2023.  €800,000 of that funding will support programmes that develop of the men’s and women’s national leagues.”

Minister Griffin continued; “It is extremely disappointing that it took the FAI to reach the brink of insolvency to deliver a change of culture, leadership and reforms.  Football is a huge part of people’s lives and it would have been unimaginable for grassroots people to be punished because of the mismanagement of the FAI’s top brass.

“There can be no going back to the old FAI and those who led that association will not play any role in the future of Irish football.  It’s time for everyone in Irish football to Look Forward.”

ENDS