FORMER IRELAND footballer Robbie Keane has received an apology by Fine Gael Senator Micheál Carrigy for his comments around his FAI salary.
Carrigy made the comments last week and asked Ireland's record goalscorer to give back his 250k a year salary and put it into grassroots football in Ireland.
Keane left his role as Ireland's assistant manager at the same time when Mick McCarthy left for the incoming Stephen Kenny.
The Tallaght native is still being paid by the FAI because the contract he signed with them at the time, does not expire until this summer.
The Fine Gael Senator said: “If Robbie Keane has received over half a million euro from the taxpayer for very little work, I believe he should refund this money back to the FAI so that it can be distributed to the local clubs who need it most.
“We simply cannot afford to waste €250,000 each year, when such money would be a gamechanger for players and teams across the country."
“We simply cannot afford to waste €250,000 each year, when such money would be a gamechanger for players and teams across Irelandhttps://t.co/FhAEDueK3Z
— The Irish Post (@theirishpost) March 24, 2022
According to Sunday Independent , the 41-year-old took issue with the comments and 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.
Keane has now received an apology from Carrigy for his remarks in a statement released on Thursday.
It reads:
“On Thursday (24th March), I issued a press release about Robbie Keane.
“I’ve since learned that the information contained in this release was inaccurate and false in a number of respects and was unfair. “As a result, I have withdrawn the press release and apologised to Robbie for any damage caused.”
State funding of the FAI doubled to €5.8 million in 2020 as part of a government bailout to help the FAI's money problems
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.
Keane is currently coaching voluntarily with Shamrock Rovers.
Fine Gael senator Micheál Carrigy apologises to Robbie Keane after his party received letters from his solicitors pic.twitter.com/75bseJB432
— Eoghan Murphy (@eoghanymurphy) March 31, 2022
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