A FINE GAEL Senator has apologised and withdrawn a recent statement about the FAI salary of former Ireland football captain Robbie Keane.

In a statement last week, Senator Micheál Carrigy said Keane should donate his €250,000 annual Football Association of Ireland (FAI) salary received since 2020 to local soccer clubs “crying out for much needed funding”. 

In 2018, Keane signed a four-year contract with the FAI which saw him join Mick McCarthy’s coaching staff with the Republic of Ireland senior men’s team.

Stephen Kenny opted not to retain Keane on his staff when he took over in April 2020, and though the FAI reached agreements with McCarthy and his assistant Terry Connor, no agreement was reached with Keane, who has remained under contract since and continues to receive his salary. 

Carrigy’s statement last week claimed Keane is “still being paid €250,000 a year by the taxpayer” since the 2020 changes. 

FAI sources told the Irish Examiner newspaper last week that Keane’s salary is not funded with taxpayer money. 

“What work has he done to date since leaving his previous role in 2020? Is he working with the FAI in an active position at the moment? If not, can he stand by earning such an income with very little to show for it?,” the statement said. 

Carrigy today issued a statement saying he has withdrawn the press release and apologised to Keane “for any damage caused”.

“I’ve since learned that the information contained in this release was inaccurate and false in a number of respects and was unfair,” Carrigy’s statement said. 

“As a result, I have withdrawn the press release and apologise to Robbie for any damage caused.”

As reported by the Sunday Independent at the weekend, Keane’s solicitors sent a legal letter to Fine Gael over the statement. 

The solicitors were seeking an apology and retraction from Fine Gael, the newspaper reported.

State funding of the FAI doubled to €5.8 million in 2020 as part of a government bailout of the debt-ridden Association. 

It was also allocated €19 million in government funding last year as part of a larger package of Covid-19 related funding for all sports.