Noonan calls for end to 'Bertie Bowl' project

Fine Gael has called on the Government to end the "failed National Stadium plan".

Mr Michael Noonan asked the Government to get behind his party's sports policy and to negotiate with the GAA about using Croke Park for other sports.

"In Government, Fine Gael will negotiate with the IRFU, with a view to providing grant aid to transform Lansdowne Road into a stadium of international standard, work with the GAA to bring new sports to Croke Park and ensure the local facilities in every town throughout the land are up to standard," he said.

Mr Noonan said the publication of the consultant’s report on Stadium and Sports Campus Ireland proves what his party has been saying about the project is correct.

"To spend in excess of €1 billion on this project is fiscal craziness and is not in accord with the real sporting needs of the country," he said.

"The proposed project is a financial and sporting fiasco. This project conceived as a monument to the Taoiseach’s ego rather than to provide for the real needs of sport in Ireland cannot now go ahead," he said.

However, the Taoiseach said this morning that a 65,000-seater stadium at Abbotstown, Co Dublin will still be built.

But Mr Ahern said the green light for the project was unlikely to be given during the few months that remain of this current Government, given the work which has to be done following the independent consultants' report.

Labour party leader Mr Ruairí Quinn said the circumstances of the consultants’ report points to a "very serious split between Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats".

Tánaiste Ms Harney also said some very serious concerns raised in the report would have to be addressed before any such project is proceeded with.