The Football Association of Ireland has issued its sixth statement in six days after it emerged that CEO John Delaney loaned it €100,000 out of his own pocket in 2017.

Last weekend, Mr Delaney confirmed he wrote the association the cheque in April 2017 to help it with a “very short-term cash flow issue.”

He said it was the only time he gave the association a short-term loan and said it was “repaid in full” in June 2017.

Oireachtas hearing

The FAI is due to appear before the Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport next month, and in a statement this afternoon, it said it had offered to bring the hearing forward.

"The association has offered to bring the April 10th meeting with the committee forward to April 3rd and the FAI awaits the committee’s response," reads the statement.

"The association also confirms that CEO John Delaney will lead the FAI delegation to this meeting."

The committee is set to examine governance at the FAI and the development of the League of Ireland and underage game.

"Urgent clarification"

On Tuesday Sport Ireland – which is tasked with directing the development of Irish sport – said it had asked the FAI for "urgent clarification" on the "circumstances of the loan and its repayment."

It said it was "not notified at any stage in 2017 about any apparent material deterioration in the FAI’s financial position."

It said it should have been notified of the loan under its terms and conditions for grant approval.

Delaney

Yesterday, the FAI said it had replied to Sport Ireland and "answered all queries raised in the letter."

It said the FAI was willing to meet with the Sports Minister Shane Ross and Sport Ireland to "discuss these matters further."

Finally, the association said it had written to the Office for the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) offering "clarification on any issues raised" by the loan.

It said it will answer any questions the ODCE may have.