The Union believes up to 200 jobs are at risk due to the association’s “extremely precarious financial situation”.
SIPTU representatives have requested an urgent meeting with Minister for Transport, Tourism, and Sport Shane Ross regarding what they believe to be FAI financial concerns.
The SIPTU request follows months of scrutiny for the association, kicking off on Monday 18 March, when The Sunday Times reported that FAI Executive Vice President John Delaney had loaned his employers €100,000 in April 2017, which was repaid in June 2017.
A week later, following Ireland’s win over Gibraltar, the FAI announced that Delaney had moved into a new position in the association. After serving as CEO between 2005 and March 2019, the 51-year-old became the FAI’s new executive vice-president.
Last month, Delaney confirmed he was voluntarily stepping aside from the role of Executive Vice President, days after the former FAI CEO and FAI representatives appeared in front of the Oireachtas Committee for Transport, Tourism and Sport.
Sport Ireland, meanwhile, recently said that it was suspending future funding of the association until “all ongoing reports commissioned by the FAI have been completed and the recommendations adopted”.
On Wednesday, SIPTU released a statement, which can be read below:
SIPTU representatives are seeking an urgent meeting with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross, to discuss the threat to jobs in the FAI due to the precarious financial situation of the organisation.
SIPTU Sport Sector Organiser, Denis Hynes, said: “We have received information that the FAI is in an extremely precarious financial situation with a threat of the organisation becoming insolvent in only a matter of weeks. This has caused great concern to our members who are employed by the FAI.
“While we fully understand that under FIFA rules the government does not have a role in the running of the organisation we believe that with up to 200 jobs at risk the situation is one that requires the direct attention of the Minister Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross.”
Hynes added: “We are seeking an urgent meeting with the Minister to directly inform him of our concerns and discuss any possible intervention that can be made to alleviate this critical situation.”
SIPTU represents staff employed as development officers, coaches and in the administration of the FAI as well as players through its affiliation with the PFAI.
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