'Finance is the not the most important factor' - FAI CEO defends redundancy sweep

Chief executive David Courell is adamant others factors were at play in the ‘significant’ drop in numbers of coaches operating at the coalface.

FAI chief executive officer David Courell and FAI independent chairperson Tony Keohane, left, during a press conference following the 2025 annual general meeting of the Football Association of Ireland at the Carlton Hotel in Blanchardstown, Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

The FAI insist their cull of 60 employees isn’t being primarily driven by the financial pressures of servicing debt of almost €40m.

Because the call for voluntary leavers among the 255-workforce reached 42, exceeding the target of 30, each will receive a €5,000 bonus on top of their four weeks’ pay per year of service.