Dáil debates

Thursday, 17 November 2005

3:00 pm

Photo of Jimmy DeenihanJimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 4: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the timescale for the provision of the new stadium at Lansdowne Road; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35008/05]

Photo of John O'DonoghueJohn O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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As I advised the House previously, in January 2004 the Government agreed to provide funding to the joint IRFU and FAI project for the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road stadium. The facility will be a 50,000 all-seated stadium to be built on the grounds of the existing stadium at Lansdowne Road and will meet all the current international standards for rugby and soccer.

The Lansdowne Road stadium development company has been formed and is the contracting party for the development and management of the new Lansdowne Road stadium. Over the past year and a half, the company has been working to a very challenging timescale and I note with satisfaction that all targets of the project schedule so far have been met. A formal legal agreement has been signed between the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, the IRFU and the FAI with regard to the procurement of the project. A steering group, with representatives of the IRFU, the FAI, the OPW and the Departments of Finance and Arts, Sport and Tourism, under the chair of the Secretary General of the Department is overseeing the delivery of the project.

In April 2005, following a tender competition, the design and project management teams for the stadium were contracted. Following their appointment, work on developing the conceptual design got under way and I was very pleased to launch the new detailed design for the project on Monday, 17 October 2005. The new design has been created in consultation with the different stakeholder groups that will be involved in and impacted on by the stadium. As a result, in order to minimise the impact on residents living in close proximity to the new structure, the design, which is at four levels on the east, west and south sides, sweeps down to a single level at the north end. The revised detailed design is an innovative solution that provides a better stadium facility incorporating significantly more corporate and premium seats.

The detailed design for the project has been costed at €365 million. The House will recall that the Government's commitment was to provide a maximum of €191 million towards the project with the balance being provided jointly by the IRFU and FAI. This commitment has been reiterated and is accepted and understood by both the IRFU and the FAI. Both sporting organisations have indicated they can meet the additional cost from increased income streams from forward selling of the additional seats.

Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company is currently preparing the application for planning permission. It is intended that this stage will be completed within the next month. By the end of 2005, the planning application will be ready for lodgment. Lansdowne Stadium Development Company has adopted a very open and listening approach to the concerns of local residents who are understandably concerned about the changes planned for the existing stadium grounds. In this context, the project is geared to meet the requirements of the planning process. At this stage, it is not realistically possible to establish with certainty the length of time that will be required to complete the process. Working on the assumption that there will be no untold delay, construction work will commence in early 2007. Construction is scheduled to take 29 months and, on this basis, the end of 2009 could see completion of the redeveloped stadium, which will cater for the international fixtures of the IRFU and the FAI.

Photo of Jimmy DeenihanJimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his detailed reply and his invitation to both Deputy Wall and I to the launch of the Lansdowne Road project, of which we were supportive. In light of the recent fire on the northern terrace, does the Minister agree the stadium is on borrowed time and could be described as an aging stadium? In reality, there is only one stand — the east — as the west stand and both terraces require substantial overhauls, hence the urgency of sustaining momentum. In light of what happened at Lansdowne Road last week, it may be an opportune time to approach Croke Park in order to negotiate the possibility of holding future soccer home internationals there. Perhaps the Minister could influence that decision at this time.

The Minister launched the project and has studied the design. Will he confirm that he would consider the design to be sympathetic to the constraints of the site and reflective of local residents' concerns? It is obvious that, when the stadium will eventually get planning permission, an appeal will be made to An Bord Pleanála, which could go even further. In anticipation of this, does the Minister believe it to be a good idea to establish an umbrella group composed of the various stakeholders and residents to examine problems in order that the planning process can be expedited and no delays will occur on the planning decision for this important national project? Will the Minister inform the House of the contributions of the IRFU and FAI in respect of the increased estimate for the stadium?

Photo of John O'DonoghueJohn O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The IRFU has met with the residents of the areas around Lansdowne Road a number of times, who are well aware of the development proposals. A consultative forum with an independent chairman, Mr. Dermot Egan, has been established through Dublin City Council to act as a channel through which the residents' anxieties and fears can be made known, dealt with and resolved where possible. In order to minimise the impact on those residents living in close proximity to the new structure, the design is at four levels on three sides and one on a fourth.

The Lansdowne Road development will be subject to the rigours of the planning process and the rights of all those affected by it will be protected. We have engaged in so far as was possible with the residents through the IRFU and other means. At this point, a new stadium with world class facilities that looks magnificent and has been praised by leading environmentalists, such as Mr. Frank McDonald, is far more preferable to a concrete jungle, which might be the alternative were the stadium to move out of Lansdowne Road. I encourage residents to consider this very carefully. It is a democracy and people are entitled to do as they wish. Deputy Deenihan knows that there is very little he or I could do about it.

In respect of the cost of the stadium, the IRFU and FAI will share the balance of the cost between them. I cannot recall the exact proportion. The State's contribution will be €191 million and the entire cost will be €365 million. I am assured by both the FAI and IRFU that they are confident and quite positive that they will be in positions to raise the necessary funds through advance selling of various premium and corporate seats.

Séamus Pattison (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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We must proceed to the next question.

Photo of John O'DonoghueJohn O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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A planning application will hopefully be lodged by the end of the year and we will deal with the matter from there.