Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 68: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the timetable for the construction of the new national stadium at Lansdowne Road; if the timescale for the redevelopment has been jeopardised by Dublin City Council planning department's request for further information regarding the proposed new stadium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15169/06]

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the position in relation to the dispute between Wanderers Rugby Football Club and the Irish Rugby Football Union regarding the proposed demolition of Wanderers' clubhouse to facilitate the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road; if this dispute threatens to delay the construction of the new stadium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15141/06]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 88: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he has held discussions with the Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company regarding objections from local residents to the height of the new stadium; his views on whether these objections may result in a delay in the construction of the new stadium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15140/06]

Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 91: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the timescale for the commencement of the new stadium at Lansdowne Road in view of the recent questions raised by Dublin City Council planning section on issues relating to the design of the stadium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15160/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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The Minister's comments on the planning process are absolutely correct but a number of the objections are strong, including, for instance, those relating to the height of the stadium. Its height is proposed to be 38.5 metres compared with Croke Park, which is 35 metres high. Are there concerns that a number of the issues will not be resolved through the dialogue he mentioned? Is it possible the local authority may have difficulty proceeding with planning permission? If issues cannot be resolved through dialogue but planning permission is granted, An Bord Pleanála will have to become involved. The House does not have a role in what the GAA may decide in future about the use of Croke Park but the current arrangement will cease at the end of 2009. How serious are the objections? Has the Minister received indications that issues will be difficult to resolve?

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Given that the estimate for the completion of the stadium is dependent on the project commencing in 2007, will the Government be prepared to review its financial commitment to the stadium in the event of a protracted planning process? If the project is delayed for 12 months, what increase in costs is envisaged?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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Clearly, it is difficult to know what the planning authority will say about the objections that have been raised. On 12 January 2006 the planning application for the proposed new stadium was lodged with Dublin City Council by the development company and the closing date for the lodgment of objections was Wednesday, 15 February 2006. A total of 151 submissions were received, of which 20 were from rugby and soccer clubs that generally supported the project, while the remaining 130 were objections or semi-neutral observations with a large concentration made by residents or residents' associations. The objections were along predictable lines and issues included the stadium size, sun and daylight, crowd behaviour and so on. The development company is preparing material in response to the city council's request for further information.

If the stadium does not proceed, the probability is that the Lansdowne Road site would be developed for commercial purposes and office blocks, shopping centres, houses and apartments and so on built. A magnificent stadium, which has been praised by a number of the State's leading environmentalists, would not be more intrusive than a concrete jungle.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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What about costs?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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The Government's commitment is €191 million and there are no plans to increase it.