UEFA needs to cough up and rescue the debt-ridden FAI, the Oireachtas sports committee chair has claimed.
TD Fergus O’Dowd said last night the Government is willing to bail out the scandal-hit body – but won’t write a “blank cheque”.
The embattled FAI is in the red for more than €62million.
And the Fine Gael deputy who claimed UEFA has the resources to stump up much of the debt, insisted: “We can’t let the League of Ireland fail, we can’t let the national team fail.”
The Louth TD told the Irish Mirror: “The issue is if UEFA will meet a significant number of those debts, I think the Government should be able to guarantee the other bits.
“I think the key point is the Government is prepared to help but it won’t write a blank cheque.
“UEFA, who are actually writing the cheques at the moment and have significant resources internationally, they should play their part.”
The FAI’s AGM in Dublin on Sunday heard it needs an immediate cash injection of €18million to stay afloat and pay staff wages.
Deputy O’Dowd said: “The best scenario is the ongoing expenditure continues to be funded by UEFA, including the future commitments in relation to staff and pensions.
“If they continue to meet the debt until the FAI is on a sound footing, the FAI are saying they are in a position to pay back the €18million.
“If they need the support of Government it would be guaranteed [there will be] changes of management, change in directors, a new CEO coming on board. I think that is the way to go.”
Disgraced former boss John Delaney walked away with a severance deal worth €462,000.
The organisation is now hunting for a new independent replacement.
Health Minister Simon Harris said: “We have a situation whereby you had people running the FAI like a fiefdom, like some sort of personal club.
“And I think it’s extremely concerning what we saw.
“I think it stinks and it portrays an arrogance that we’ve seen in lots of other parts of Irish life.
“But I’d like to think we left it in the past when the Celtic Tiger died a death in our country.”
And the soccer saga has now become a political football as Fianna Fail put the boot into Sports Minister Shane Ross.
Party spokesman Marc MacSharry insisted the TD is not doing enough to tackle the FAI crisis. He said: “His lack of leadership has been disappointing.
“He needs to focus on finding solutions rather than criticising.”
Mr MacSharry also called for a new independent board to be appointed.
