Relations between the FAI and the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr O'Donoghue, were on the verge of collapse last night when the association offered Mr John Delaney the post of chief executive on an "interim" basis, writes Emmet Malone.
The association failed to provide an assurance that it would, as the Minister had requested, advertise that post and that of financial director before the end of the year.
The decision to offer the job to Mr Delaney, who is expected to accept it over the coming week, was made by a meeting of the association's 60-strong national council where no specific time-frame for finding a long-term successor to Mr Fran Rooney was agreed.
In a brief statement, the association said it would "engage" with the Government on all matters relating to the appointment.
However a Department spokesman said last night there was "neither a need nor a desire for further engagement" with the association until a commitment to advertise the two posts during the coming weeks had been received.
He went on to make it clear that as the Minister was responsible for policy matters at the Sports Council, that organisation would not be meeting the FAI either until the required assurances had been provided.
The Sports Council provides some €2 million in funding to the association annually, and the two organisations were scheduled to meet next Tuesday. The association's position was not helped immediately after the council meeting by its president, Mr Milo Corcoran, who, when asked if the organisation planned to advertise the vacancies before Christmas said: "No, it's not in the plans."
A clarification was subsequently issued by the association to the effect that the matter would be discussed with the Government before any decision was taken.