Sinn Féin TD Ruairí Ó Murchú has asked that further time be given to Dundalk FC for its serious financial difficulties to be sorted out.
There are fears that Brian Ainscough could put the club into liquidation at 5pm today if no investors are found.
In an interview on LMFM Radio this morning, the Louth TD said his first thoughts are with all those involved in the club – the players, staff and supporters.
He said: ‘You cannot put into words what Dundalk FC means to Dundalk town and its hinterland’.
He referred to financial difficulties experiences by Cork in 2011 and following conversations he has had with the FAI and a number of other stakeholders, the situation is that Dundalk FC is currently applying for a licence to play in the League of Ireland next year.
He said: ‘If the club was to go into liquidation, there is no facility to apply for a licence.
‘Monaghan United, when they went out of play, the PFAIwould not allow an entity to recreate itself in Monaghan if players were not paid, so the same circumstances would arise, so that’s how serious this is’.
He said Mr Ainscough needs to give more time for investors to look at the club. Deputy Ó Murchú said he had been speaking to a possible investor who had indicated more time was needed.
Deputy Ó Murchú also raised the SCARP (Small Company Administrative Rescue Process) which, he said, ‘takes a considerable amount of money to put it in’.
He said: ‘There is talk in the public domain talk of €360,000 and I have spoken to people who say that money may be somewhat more. Anyone who is sway with any of these investors that they need to pull on the heart strings the connection with Dundalk now.
‘That would probably involve the number of people who have money, local business people and those with connectivity with Dundalk and beyond to ensure there would be enough money put in place to allow Dundalk FC to enter into this process and to ensure that we have a team that can play at Oriel Park next year.
‘Entering into examinership means entering into 49 days which protects the entity and during that period you need to go through absolutely everything.
‘With regards to the legacy issues and mistakes that have been made which all in the public domain, we can all blamemultiple people at this stage, but none of that serves any purpose at this point in time – we can deal with all that after.
‘The only thing that matters is ensuring that Dundalk FC survives. It has one of the finest legacies of any team in the League of Ireland. We all know that this will impact in relation to the results, if the worst was to happen, of the league this year and it also draws into question the entire integrity and the ability of the league altogether.
‘Dundalk is too big to fail. We need to make sure that doesn’t happen, so we need Brian Ainscough to give enough time and to allow a proper rescue package to be put in place.
‘I believe it is possible. It is very difficult but it is possible to put something together, what we need is an amount of time to be given and then we need to make sure that everybody who is willing to put their money where their mouth is steps up for Dundalk and that we have its sustainable management team and a process and a system that can work into the future’.
