Green light for stadium expected

A statement affirming the Government's commitment to back the construction of a national sports stadium in the greater Dublin area, is now expected shortly.

A meeting to be convened within days of all the interested parties, will be told of the favourable findings of a feasibility study commissioned last year and undertaken by the management consultants, PriceWaterhouseCooper.

The cost of the 80,000 all-seater stadium, with ancillary facilities, is put at a minimum of £200 million and funding is expected to come from both the public and private sectors.

Initial estimates put the bill at more than £250 million but these have been modified considerably over the last year. By contrast, Eircom Park, the FAI's proposed 45,000 all seater stadium, has been priced at £65 million.

Redevelopment work, already well advanced at Croke Park, is likely to mean a wage bill costing in the region of £130 million for the GAA and against that backdrop, backers of the national stadium say that their costings are not unreasonable.

Dermot Desmond and JP McManus have been closely linked with the project and the committee, appointed by the Taoiseach last year to examine its viability, is chaired by Derek Keogh, the former chief executive of Aer Rianta. In addition to senior civil servants, it includes several well known sporting personalities, among them, Tom Kiernan, Maeve Kyle, Brendan Foster, Tony Hanahoe, Syd Miller and Bill Attley.

Liam Mulvihill and Bernard O'Byrne represent the interest of the GAA and FAI respectively while the membership also includes the chairman of the Irish Sports Council, John Treacy.

A modern arena is something which would have instant appeal for the IRFU who acknowledge that Lansdowne Road is now outdated for international rugby.

And while the FAI says it is still committed to building its own stadium at Citywest, the sceptics believe that they, too, will be interested in the facility.

While stressing the need to develop Morton Stadium, Santry, the newly formed Athletic Association of Ireland state that the construction of a national stadium, incorportating a running track, would hasten the day when the country could host major international sporting championships.

The location of the stadium has yet to be identified precisely, but is thought to be on State-owned land at Abbotstown, adjacent to the Elm Green golf club in north-west Dublin.

Here a site, formerly used for agricultural laboratory testing, covers more than 300 acres and in terms of access, is serviced by both the M50 and a nearby suburban rail link.

The project, which enjoys considerable support across the sporting spectrum, is driven by the personal commitment of Mr Ahern who believes that the facility is highly desirable in modern Ireland.

Answering criticism by John Bruton, leader of the opposition in Dail last April, he said: "As we move into a new century and at a time of improved economic prosperity, it is right that we have world class sports and entertainment facilities available to our citizens."

It is Ahern's enthusiasm, as much as the buoyancy of the economy, which fuels speculation that a long cherished aspiration, articulated at various intervals down the decades, may at last be realised.

Difficulties in processing the application for planning permission for the construction of Eircom Park, have raised at least some doubts about the FAI's ambitious venture. Yesterday, however, Pat Quigley, the association's president, stressed that the most ambitious project in their history, is still on course.

The original application, modified in some instances after meetings with residents of neighbouring areas, was submitted to South Dublin Council last October and Quigley expects the project to get the all clear within the next six to nine months.

"In that case, I would expect the first sod to be turned next October and our stadium to be completed some 18 months after that," he said.

"The fact that a national stadium may or may not be built, doesn't alter our position in the slightest. We wish the Government well in the matter but nothing will deflect us from the ideal of building a fitting home for soccer in this country," he added.