He will hope to feature for the Republic against Colombia on Saturday, and wants to be playing in the Championship next season if he is to stay in the plans of the new international coach Giovanni Trappatoni.
"I've got a year left in my contract at Scunthorpe but I am trying hard to see if I can leave," he told the Irish Independent.
"I think it's going to be tough to get out. I've spoken to the chairman and they're asking for a lot of money [£1m] for a player with only a year left on his contract.
"But I have made it public that I do want to go because I need to play at least Championship football if I want to stay in the squad, so I'm going to have to try and do that this year."