Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

There are design teams involved and we want to keep it going. I told Deputies Mitchell and Upton previously that the old meat laboratory will be fully finished by mid-2009 for the institute of sport; that is important and I was with them to see it happen. The Abbotstown lands have been in State ownership for years, long before I came into this House. They are State-owned lands, and incur the normal costs for maintenance as other State-owned land. I do not have a specific figure.

I listed what was involved in the cost of phase 1 of Abbotstown, which was approximately €150 million. I wanted to include a velodrome in it which increased the cost to €160 million. A velodrome is an essential element in Irish sport and Deputy Mitchell may share my view. In the UK they have shown how far they have advanced in sport and the number of medals they have won since building velodromes. It is unlikely the full building of that phase can be achieved in the current economic climate. It is a reality I have to face. As late as last July I thought it might proceed but we all know what has happened here and worldwide since, which has made things immeasurably difficult.

If I cannot do the entire project I still want to move forward aspects of the project that will be valuable, such as the national indoor training arena which benefits at least 25 sports. We can still proceed with elements of the project without impacting negatively on the overall project and I am trying to see how we can best proceed with that. I am currently in discussion with campus authorities.

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