IRFU dismisses claims over Lansdowne asbestos danger

The Irish Rugby Football Union has dismissed a newspaper report that the presence of corrugated asbestos in the West Stand at Lansdowne Road in Dublin will delay the redevelopment of the stadium and threaten the health of local residents.

The union's chief executive, Mr Philip Browne, said in a statement that residents in the vicinity of the stadium need have no concerns about the removal of asbestos from the roof of the stand.

Mr Browne described as "totally misleading" a story in the Sunday Tribune which said the €250 million redevelopment of the ground as a 55,000-seat national stadium could be delayed by up to two years past the deadline of 2008 because of the special work required to dispose of the asbestos.

"The West Stand, in keeping with most development work in Ireland of this nature in the 1950s, does contain corrugated asbestos and sheeting, and it will be professionally dismantled and safely removed in line with normal health and safety regulations," he said.

"Residents in the area need have no concerns, nor will there be disruption to the redevelopment timetable."

A spokesman for the IRFU said residents in the vicinity of the stadium would be kept fully informed about the operation to remove the asbestos.

"There's a very good working relationship between the IRFU and the relevant neighbours. And yes, they will be kept informed of all the issues relating to them and in this case they will be assured that they have no need for concern," the spokesman said. It was not the case that asbestos had been "discovered" in the stand.

While it was always known that the issue would have to be addressed in the redevelopment, he believed that asbestos in "structured corrugated sheeting" was comparatively easy to deal with and not as dangerous as asbestos in dust form.

"It will be dismantled in a very professional manner in compliance with all the rules and regulations and health and safety in this area. To that end, we believe that there's no need for the immediate neighbours to be concerned at all," he said.