The FAI will fund the entirety of the €300,000 pot established to assist clubs who have difficulty meeting their contractual obligations to their playing staff, Soccer Republic learned this evening. 

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Clubs who are forced to access the fund will incur a six-point deduction and will be banned from buying players until the end of the season. 

In addition to this, all monies would have to be repaid at the end of the season. If clubs are unable to pay back the loan then they will be relegated. 

The FAI had initially announced that the fund would be co-financed by the PFAI, with the players' body contributing half the cost. 

This sparked a row with the PFAI who objected to the notion that players should contribute to a fund to pay their own wages and said they were "astounded" that the FAI had made the initial announcement without consulting with them. 

However, the FAI will now cover the entire cost of the fund.

Speaking on Soccer Republic this evening, former St. Pat's manager Johnny McDonnell welcomed the proposal.  

"I think, first of all, it's a really good idea. I think it's funded properly. The PFAI really shouldn't have to fund it. The money is there now but to access that money is really, really hard. 

"So, it's not going to be too easy for someone to say, 'yeah, we can pick on that'."