Delaney nets €400,000 as FAI cuts club grants by €377,000

CHIEF EXECUTIVE of the Football Association of Ireland John Delaney was paid €400,000 in 2011, according to accounts obtained by The Irish Times.

This was 7.2 per cent less than the €431,687 Mr Delaney earned in the previous year.

The chief executive receives double the annual salary of Taoiseach Enda Kenny and €151,000 more than President Michael D Higgins. He also earns more than most Irish semi-State bosses.

Mr Delaney’s pay cut was less than the average reduction in wages across the FAI.

The association reduced its overall wage bill by 13.5 per cent last year to €11.3 million as staff numbers declined to 173 from 179.

Mr Delaney’s remuneration has been the subject of much negative comment in recent times given the economic climate and the fact that the FAI receives about €3.4 million annually from the Irish Sports Council.

He has also come under scrutiny recently after video footage of him drinking with Irish fans in Poland at the Euro 2012 championship appeared on the internet.

A spokesman for the football association said the results, which are due to be presented to its annual meeting on July 21st, “were in line with its budget”.

The accounts also show that the FAI cut the grant aid paid to soccer clubs and leagues around the State by €377,000 last year due largely to the spiralling costs of servicing its debts from the redevelopment of the Aviva Stadium.

This was despite a €5.8 million rise in turnover, which was boosted by large attendances at Ireland’s Euro 2012 qualifiers against Armenia and the play-off with Estonia.

While turnover rose to €45 million in 2011, the FAI’s surplus (or profit) declined by just under 20 per cent to €1.17 million.

This resulted in the grant aid paid to affiliates being reduced to just over €1 million last year from €1.4 million in 2010.

The accounts show that the FAI’s interest bill rocketed to €4.8 million in 2011, from €2.1 million in the previous period.

This relates to its bank overdrafts and loans connected with the redevelopment of the Aviva. The football association ended 2011 with net debts of €64.3 million, down from €67.2 million in the previous year.

“We remain on course to have all of our loans fully repaid by 2020,” the directors’ report stated.