Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We are absolutely committed to the development of football, particularly grassroots football, and strengthening the League of Ireland. That is something I am very ambitious for.

Tolka Park is owned by Dublin City Council so any future plans are a matter for the council and the councillors. Dublin City Council is also the lead applicant for the redevelopment of Dalymount stadium and the design work is at an advanced stage. In a previous proposal it was understood that Dublin City Council planned to fund some of the construction costs with Tolka Park, however as the Deputy is very well aware, as am I, the proposal has met with opposition locally with a high profile campaign to keep the Tolka Park facility for sporting use. From my perspective and that of the Department there would be no objection to keeping Tolka Park in sporting use and any future proposal for the development work could be considered like any other application under the sports capital and equipment programme and to the large scale sports infrastructure fund. That would be a matter for the council around any funding implication for its plans around the redevelopment of stadiums but we are committed. The national development plan just published includes continuity of the large scale sports infrastructure fund and the sports capital and equipment programme to strengthen our league and our grassroots. However, this is a matter around ownership on which the council will have to make a decision.

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