FAI chief football officer Marc Canham says Government-aided academy funding of around €10m per year would "completely transform" the development of young Irish footballers, as the organisation continues to lobby for investment.
In the latest round of sports capital grants, announced on Wednesday, football teams received over €41m worth of funding. That figure is spread across 371 clubs from grassroots level up to the League of Ireland.
Canham - recently promoted to a broader role in the association having been the director of football - welcomed the support. However, to realise its long-term ambitions the FAI needs significant and sustained assistance from Government.
The association is seeking money to effectively implement its Football Pathways Plan, and overarching Facility Investment Vision and Strategy, which is seeking €863m over 15 years to modernise facilities and standards.
Speaking at the latest update on the Football Pathways Plan, Canham said efforts are being made to change the landscape.
"But yeah we do need investment. We're having good, positive conversations with the government. They've got a good understanding of what we're trying to do to develop players between those ages of 14 up to the senior end of the game.
"We're positive and optimistic about that investment coming our way to try and supercharge the development of young Irish players, both boys and girls.
"I think you're talking nearer €10m (per year). I think that would completely transform player development in this country and we'd be super pleased if the government were able to provide a portion of that moving forwards to help us succeed but we know it's not all on government to do that.
"We as the association and the game need to make sure we secure investment for our future as well, whilst the government support would be hugely beneficial for us and our academies."
One source of funding for the FAI could potentially have come from the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR), which was created to help Irish industries that have been disrupted by the UK leaving the European Union.
Brexit means Irish footballers cannot leave for England until they are 18, putting more pressure and responsibility on League of Ireland academies to develop them.
However, it appears that avenue has been closed, with the money allocated to the tourism, agriculture and fisheries sectors.
Asked if the FAI was disappointed the Government had not pursued the possibilIty of gaining BAR funds to help academies, Canham replied: "Brexit has definitely had a very real impact. That conversation that we've had about that fund has been ongoing for a period of time.
"We're looking at different options and different sources of funding through the government to help secure the investment we want."
At the FAI's AGM last week it was confirmed the Emerging Talent Programme has been disbanded. The programme was launched in 2006 and served as an important development hub for male and female players aged 12 to 15.
Canham said that in its absence there will be a bigger emphasis on increasing the coaching time given to the best 14 to 18-year-olds in the country.
"We basically have to prioritise. We need to increase the amount of coaching, increase the amount of contact time, increase the levels of competition.
"We've decided that based on our analysis that the Emerging Talent Programme, while it's served a purpose and done a really good job for us and we thank everyone that's been involved in it, we need to do something different moving forward.
"We want to develop something that will triple contact time for young players, boys and girls, of high potential between those ages of 14 to 18 to try to develop them into professional footballers and hopefully on to the very elite of football and playing internationally for Ireland."
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