The FAI will not be compensated for any lost revenue resulting from the change in its contract with satellite broadcaster, BSkyB, the Department for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources said today.
The FAI last year signed a contract with BSkyB giving exclusive rights to the Republic of Ireland's live matches to Sky Sports for four years. But following a public outcry, the Minister for Communications, Mr Dermot Ahern, "listed" the matches under EU legislation that requires designated sporting events to be available to the public on free-to-air channels.
It is thought the FAI will lose around euro2 million of the euro7.5 million contract now that BSkyB have lost exclusive rights to the live matches.
A spokesman for the Minister told ireland.comthat the FAI had been asked to change the terms of the contract but refused to do so, leaving the Minister no choice but to list the games.
"The concept that the taxpayer or the Government should make up the balance of any money lost by the FAI arising from a private deal with a satellite broadcaster - preventing genuine fans from seeing the matches - is absolute nonsense.
"There will be no compensation," he said.
The FAI and RTE are currently negotiating a deal that will likely see competitive matches shown live on the national broadcaster while live coverage of friendlies will be shown exclusively live on Sky Sports.