While funding to the association can be suspended, the ongoing work developing football across the country cannot come to a standstill while the issues plaguing the FAI are resolved.

It is with this in mind - and to protect the jobs of the development officers and national coordinators who develop the grassroots of the game across the country - that Mr Ross has pledged to put some €2m in place to protect this sector.

At present, the development officers are direct, full-time employees of the FAI who answer directly to the association.

The structure of the FAI itself is split across FAI council, The board of management and committees, and the FAI administration staff.

The Council is a body of representatives from across a variety of football interests, with delegates from the provincial FAs, League of Ireland, schools football and other groups.

The recent recommended reforms of the FAI’s governance structure recommended expanding this body from 58 to 79 members to give representation to the Women’s National League, supporters’ representatives, and others. It is proposed that in time the number of those on the council will be reduced again once a more balanced, diverse membership is achieved.

Previously, the council was the electorate for the FAI board. Under new reforms, the council will elect six of its members to sit on the board, while four independent members will be elected from suggested candidates chosen by a nominations committee.

These independent directors cannot be a member of the council or have any material business relationship within football. As part of the reforms, the chairperson of the board will be chosen from these independent directors.

The council will also choose an FAI President and Vice-President who will sit on the board. However, in a break with previous tradition, the president will no longer be the board chair.

The board will then be supported by footballing and business committees which will advise the board on the FAI’s business.

All of these then oversee the day-to-day work of the FAI, as carried out by the staff. Included in the FAI management team is Kerryman Tom O’Shea, who is grassroots director.

His department is the largest within the FAI with over 200 staff, including around 60 development officers and national coordinators who run various programmes across the country such as summer camps, women’s development programmes, referee development, intercultural programmes, and education hubs in conjunction with the Education and Training Boards.

What remains to be seen is how this grassroots work will transition from the FAI to the third party mechanism envisaged by Mr Ross.

It is not yet clear what level of authority, if any, this third party - probably Sport Ireland - will have and as to who decides what about the funding of programmes and projects administered by development officers and coordinators.

Mr Ross’ decision not to attend Wednesday’s emergency meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport indicates that not all this detail has been ironed out.

Certainly comments tonight from Committee Chair Fergus O’Dowd would suggest that any such detail has not been relayed to Committee members.

“I understand that there's 140 (staff) in [FAI Headquarters] Abbotstown. I think around the country there's another 60. The minister is trying to make sure that funding for those positions - that is positions of the people who are involved in coaching and supporting clubs right around the country - that the €2 million will go to them through a third party as I understand it,” Mr O’Dowd told RTÉ’s Drivetime.

“That's what he's working on. I think that makes a lot of sense. It doesn't involve the FAI because there are corporate issues around them right now. So I think that if we can secure those jobs by that action, if that is the case, and I don't know if that it is the case, but I believe it may be, that would be certainly welcome,” he said.

It is also unclear as to what will happen when this €2m pot runs out. Will control - and the funding burden - go back to the FAI or will more government funding go straight to the grassroots?

Mr Ross' department has said Sport Ireland has "developed an effective intermediary arrangement for the payment of grant funding to the Women’s National Team" and that it is "urgently examining a similar arrangement in relation to the provision of funding for development officers".

It is expected that all will become clearer when Mr Ross meets the Committee next week.