The FAI yesterday welcomed news that Everton have paid a total of 340,000, through the English FA, to four Irish clubs in "training compensation" payments for three players.
That brings to €1.8 million the amount paid to Irish clubs under Fifa regulations, with another €1 million due for players who have recently signed their first professional contracts with foreign clubs.
The largest slice of the payment from Everton is the €130,000 to Dublin club Tolka Rovers for Aidan Downes (19), while Kerry clubs Kingdom Boys (€80,000) and St Brendan's Park (€50,000) were compensated for Darren Dennehy (18).
Downes and Dennehy joined the English club's academy in 2005. Cork's Maymount Celtic also received compensation for Alan Kearney who signed for Waterford United earlier this month after being released by Everton.
The scheme was brought in by Fifa in 2001, as part of their Regulations for the Status and Transfer of Players, to try to ensure clubs who coach players from the age of 12 to 21 are compensated once their status changes from amateur to professional and they move clubs.
"We are pleased that the UK clubs are co-operating with us in regard to the training compensation payments," said Eoin Hand, the FAI's football support services manager, who urged all Irish schoolboy clubs to contact him regarding these payments.
The FAI are also starting a domestic compensation system in December following an agreement between the Eircom League of Ireland and the Schoolboys Football Association of Ireland.
A club whose player signs his first professional contract with a League of Ireland club will receive 500 for each year of training between 12 and 21, and if he is transferred abroad they will get training compensation.
