John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 68, 87, 88 and 91 together.

As the House will be aware, in January 2004 the Government agreed to provide funding of €191 million to the joint IRFU-FAI project for the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road stadium. In January 2006 the planning application for the project was submitted by the Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company, LRSDC, the company charged with delivery of the project.

Deputies will be aware that it is normal practice within any planning process, but certainly for a major project, that the planning authorities would come back to the planning applicant with questions that have been raised in the course of the process by those who have lodged comments or objections or relating to matters that the authorities themselves wish to explore. This form of dialogue is a means by which the most satisfactory solutions can be devised for any issues that arise. Thus, the questions put by the Dublin City Council to Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company are a predictable part of the planning process and do not signal any particular difficulty for the project. LRSDC is preparing a fully comprehensive response to the Dublin City Council's request for further information. Officials from my Department have been briefed by LRSDC in the context of the project steering group and I have been assured that every effort is being made to address all the issues raised to the fullest extent, including those raised by the local residents.

A number of local residents' groups and individual residents have lodged objections to the project. Through the steering group that oversees the development of the project, I am aware the project developers have made very strenuous efforts to meet the concerns of residents in the design that has been chosen for the stadium. By maintaining good channels of communications and by carrying out the requisite studies and investigations, LRSDC is making every effort to ensure the concerns of residents are met in developing the stadium at Lansdowne Road.

It is not possible to estimate the time that will be required to complete the planning process. Up to the present, the project has proceeded on schedule and I am hopeful the planning process will not set back that schedule. I am confident that by the end of 2009 the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road stadium, which will cater for the international rugby and soccer requirements of the IRFU and the FAI, will be completed.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

Regarding the dispute between the IRFU and Wanderers Rugby Football Club, this is a matter between the IRFU and the two clubs in question and I do not intend to intervene in this matter. It is clear that, ultimately, the issues must be resolved by the parties directly involved. Discussions between these parties are still ongoing and I am confident a solution will be found and the dispute will not delay the redevelopment of the stadium.

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