Republic's Women's League to have pro contracts

Dublin club Shelbourne won this year's Women's National League in the Republic of Ireland

Professional contracts will be introduced for the first time in women's football in the Republic of Ireland in 2023.

Clubs will be under no obligation to offer professional deals to players.

Professional players moving to other teams - including English clubs - will result in transfer fees being received.

The same minimum wage contracts as men's League of Ireland players will mean full-time players receiving at least £317 per week with those on part-time deals guaranteed £112.

League of Ireland director Mark Scanlon said it was a "hugely important development" in Irish women's football.

"Though attendances, standards and exposure of the game have increased in recent years, women's football in Ireland still has a long way to go to achieve the potential we know it has," said the League of Ireland director.

"The announcement of professional contracts for SSE Airtricity Women's National League players will prove to be a significant milestone in the history of the game here and comes at an apt time as our women's national team, which features many of our WNL players, gets ready to compete at the Fifa Women's World Cup 2023.

"Clubs will now be able to provide certainty and a platform for growth for their players as they look to progress on and off the pitch."

The League of Ireland took the decision to introduce professional contracts and it was ratified by the Football Association of Ireland's board.

An FAI statement said the move would enable women's National League clubs to "secure their best young players on professional contracts and provide certainty to the club that the player will be signed for the full season".

The FAI added that it would ensure that professional players who move to other clubs - including Women's Super League teams in England - will now do so for a transfer, in addition to allowing the introduction of loan players from other leagues to the Republic's domestic game.

A working group to monitor the implementation of any contracts will also be set up.