Taoiseach calls for full investigation into FIFA's Irish subsidiary

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said that the news of a €5m FIFA payout to the FAI is "quite extraordinary".

FIFA gave the money to the FAI to prevent Ireland from pursuing any legal claims with FIFA after the controversial Thierry Henry handball incident during a qualification play-off for the 2010 World Cup.

He says that while the €5m did not come from the Irish taxpayer, the FAI has a duty to answer all questions about it in the interest of supporters.

However, he said that that the position of FAI chief executive John Delaney remains tenable, and that he expects a statement from the FAI later this afternoon.

Mr Kenny also called for a full investigation into the establishment and running of FIFA's Irish subsidiary, of which Sepp Blatter was chairman.

The Irish Examiner reports today that the Dublin-based Irish arm of FIFA had revenues of more than €100m during seven years of business here.

Delaney yesterday described it as a legitimate company taking advantage of Ireland's low tax regime, but said he had been anxious to keep a distance between it and the FAI.

This was despite the fact there were FAI officials on the board of the FIFA subsidiary.

“It was a legitimate company as I understand it,an intellectual property rights company for the Word Cup in 2002 and availing of a cheaper tax rate," Delaney said.

"My own view for what it is worth was that we (FAI) shouldn’t have been anywhere near it at the time. Our job was to develop football in Ireland.”