The eircom Premier Division champions for 2008 will receive a record €545,000. The payout will comprise of €265,000 solely from the FAI and a further €260,000 from Uefa for qualification into the preliminary rounds of the Champion's League.

The payout will comprise of €265,000 solely from the FAI and a further €260,000 from Uefa for qualification into the preliminary rounds of the Champion's League.

The FAI will award the premier division champions a €250,000 winner's purse and an additional €15,000 contribution towards a club promotion officer. Last year the Premier Division purse was €225,000.

Automatic qualification into the Setanta Cup will earn the champions €20,000 paid by the Setanta Cup Organising Committee which is comprised of the FAI and the Irish Football Association (IFA).

The champions will also take a bigger share of television revenues.

In total, the 22 league clubs will share €2 million from the FAI's record €5 million investment in the league.

The second-placed team in the Premier Division and the winners of the FAI Cup will receive €100,000.

The Cup runners-up will receive €75,000 and both losing semi-finalists will get €8,000 each.

A League cup prize fund €20,000 will be split between the two finalists.

Unlike last year, every club - regardless of league position - will receive funding, with the team finishing bottom of the Premier Division set to receive €7,000.

The four teams (two from each league) that top the fair play league will share €13,000.

Speaking at the launch of the 2008 season today chairman of the FAI National League Executive Committee, Eamonn Naughton, said: "The FAI's total investment in the eircom League of Ireland this season will be €5 million and €2 million of that sum will go directly to the clubs in the form of prize-money, television payments, European participation grants, contributions to Club Promotions Officers and subsidies in relation to insurance and certain match day costs.

"Other money will be spent on a marketing campaign which will focus on radio and television while the intangible benefits of the FAI's involvement include the administration of the League by Director Fran Gavin and his team, club licensing and access to FAI personnel for advice and help in areas such as facilities, marketing, sponsorship, communications and legal matters."

The 2008 season kicks off a week from today on March 7th.

Meanwhile, FAI chief executive John Delaney has confirmed he and Liam Brady met with Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni at the weekend to discuss the part-time role the Italian envisages for the former Ireland player within his coaching staff.

Brady, who is head of the youth academy at Arsenal, was seeking clarification from his former coach at Juventus as to what part he had to play within the coaching set-up of the national side.

The former Arsenal midfielder will now take time to think over the offer put to him by the Italian, but both Trapattoni and the FAI are keen to have him on board.