Basketball Ireland have questioned the Government's financial rescue package for the FAI, and are seeking an early post-election meeting to address issues over funding and administration.

Last week, the Government announced that it will double the FAI’s funding and give them an interest free loan of €2.5 million annually for the next three years as part of a refinancing arrangement to help save the organisation.

With debts of €62m, the FAI desperately needed an immediate cash injection to continue to trade.

Minister for Sport Shane Ross and Minister of State Brendan Griffin met representatives from UEFA, the FAI, and the Bank of Ireland at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport before an agreement was put in place.

However, a statement from Basketball Ireland has pointed towards "double standards" as to how the two sports bodies were treated during periods of financial strife.

The statement read: "The basketball community in Ireland has been following with interest the announcement surrounding another major sports body, which has benefited from a funding agreement in recent days to allow it time and resources to recover from financial difficulties.

"While we wish those involved in that sport the very best in navigating their way through what will undoubtedly be a difficult few years to come, the Board wishes to express the frustration of many basketball enthusiasts in our 300,000+ strong community, as it would appear that double standards may be at play for sports that fall outside what are considered the popular sports.

"In 2008, when Basketball Ireland ran into financial difficulties, we found ourselves with an unexpected black hole of debt and financial penalties totalling €1.5m.

"At our darkest time, a similar agreement to that which was awarded last week would have considerably changed the trajectory of Basketball Ireland, and would have proven to be a lifeline.

"Instead, the organisation entered a difficult period with no financial assistance and was forced to: Call an immediate halt to our international team programmes, thus damaging the career prospects of a large number of underage players, make half of our employees redundant and reduce the debt through putting a levy on our own members.

"Since then, Basketball Ireland has turned its position around completely while receiving no financial help, but plenty of plaudits."

The organisation also pointed to hefty sanctions imposed on it by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in 2013.

The sanctions followed discovery in 2009 that a sum of grant money given to Basketball Ireland had not been used for the intended purpose.

The governing body was ordered to repay €124,000 in grant money to the department, was banned from applying for funding under the Sports Capital Programme for five years and had a provisional grant of €500,000 for renewal work at the National Basketball Arena withdrawn.

The chief executive of Basketball Ireland is Bernard O'Byrne, a former FAI CEO who took early retirement from the association in 2007.

O'Byrne made his own views on the government deal known on his Twitter account last week.