Football Association Ireland launches voluntary redundancy programme

The Football Association of Ireland has announced it is launching a voluntary redundancy programme and may have to move towards compulsory job losses as it begins to implement changes designed to “modernise how Irish football is delivered”.

The FAI – the governing body of the sport in the Republic of Ireland – said on Wednesday it will commence a “restructure” in “the coming days” starting with the introduction of a voluntary redundancy programme.

“Once completed, the association will then assess progress against its long-term vision and move forward with a phase of redeployment before confirming the number of compulsory redundancies required,” the association added.

It said the move is to help “accelerate internal culture change, introduce specialised skill sets and deliver increased financial stability”.

The FAI explained the decision has been shaped by extensive research including “Uefa benchmarking” and “external guidance from specialist consultancy firms”.

“The findings make it clear that the association does not currently have the required framework and specific skill sets to implement vital strategies, including the FAI Football Pathways Plan, and to meet the evolving needs of Irish football – at all levels of the game,” it added.

The FAI said that without job cuts, the Republic of Ireland would not be able to perform successfully in men’s and women’s football and that local football would suffer in the country.

“The association must undertake this process to ensure that all clubs, communities and counties around the country are best served and that Irish football can create a playing culture and pathway to compete as a nation, provide positive participation experiences for all, and continue to develop the game at a local, regional, national and international level.”