John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

The Government decided unanimously to construct the new stadium at Lansdowne Road — that much is clear — and it has committed €191 million in this regard. The GAA congress agreed to allow international home rugby and soccer games to be played at its stadium in Croke Park while the Lansdowne Road stadium is being redeveloped, but not beyond its development.

On the question of there being a plan B, the reality is that we have allocated the funding, a company has been set up to redevelop Lansdowne Road and the planning application has been lodged. We met all our deadlines to date or were very close to meeting them and I have no reason to believe there will be any difference on this occasion. It is obvious that the entire project depends on our obtaining planning permission. Nobody can say whether it will be granted but it is relevant to state there is a stadium at Lansdowne Road, as everyone knows. When the proposed new stadium has been constructed, it will be a modern state-of-the-art stadium of which Ireland can be proud. Deputy Ferris asked whether there is a plan B — there is no plan B at the present time. If the redevelopment of the Lansdowne Road stadium does not proceed, consideration will have to be given to an alternative. It may well be that the alternative will be a return to Abbotstown or somewhere else. It would be entirely negative and self-defeating of me to draw up a plan B at this point. I do not think I should do that because it would be the height of pessimism. I remain positive about the planning application.

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