The FAI have initiated this fund and have contacted the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland (PFAI), via SIPTU, on matching the amount that the FAI Board have approved.

The fund would be set up solely for SSE Airtricity League clubs who experience difficulty in unforeseen circumstances in fulfilling contractual obligations to professional players.

The proposed fund would work as follows...

- A total of €300,000 (split equally between the FAI and the PFAI) would be placed into an escrow account to help professional players who are left unpaid by SSE Airtricity League clubs

- The fund can only be accessed by clubs participating in the SSE Airticity League if they are unable to fulfil contractual agreements with their players

- If an SSE Airtricity League club chooses to activate the fund then immediate sanctions will be imposed. The sanctions, to be agreed, will range from deducted points to an embargo on registering new players

- This fund can only be accessed as a last resort by clubs to resolve wages owed to professional players and clubs must repay, in full, all monies received by end of season or further sanctions will apply

The FAI is now awaiting a response from the PFAI within the next few days.