Tom Morrissey (Progressive Democrats)

I am delighted to have an opportunity to partake in this debate. I welcome my constituency colleague and friend, the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, to the House for this debate. I also thank the Minister for attending earlier and for his involvement in this debate since taking office.

I will not deny that I was a critic of this project from its inception. My criticism of it stemmed from the fact that, on a very early learning curve, I found out that Croke Park was the fourth biggest stadium between Ireland and the Balkans and that no city in Europe, despite having big sporting soccer teams, had two stadiums that catered for 80,000 people. For that reason, I did not think Ireland could accommodate two such stadia. My doubts were realised when I met the managers of Campus and Stadium Ireland Development Limited in the early days because I was not able to get answers to simple questions about infrastructure, costs and timing. I do not know whether the current management would have been able to manage a project of this magnitude. I made my view known to my party from the early days and I am delighted we have reached a position where Lansdowne Road will be redeveloped, as this is a realistic project with a realistic budget. Figures can often be dangerous and they have been the downfall of CSID. I am delighted the Government is providing €190 million in funding for the project and I hope that will be capped . The history of State involvement in large projects is they have not been delivered within budget. It must be ensured the money is handed over during the phase-in period and the sporting organisations allowed to get on with it.

The Fine Gael spokesperson sought information on the costs of the project and I am surprised he had to ask the Minister of State for it. I refer to the amount that has been spent on Abbotstown. The original estimate was £280 million or €356 million, which broke down as follows; stadium, €182.84 million; fit out, €2 million; site infrastructure, €10.16 million; design, €40.63 million; professional fees, €21.59 million; local infrastructure, €16.51 million; and campus excellence, €64.76 million. The estimate did not include the National Aquatic Centre at Abbotstown, which was expected to cost between €19 million and €25 million at the time. However, it cost €61.4 million together with executive service fees of €4.9 million making the total cost €66.3 million. That was a small project relative to the stadium proposal, yet the projects costs were overshot.

The relocation of the Department of Agriculture and Food cost €120 million and the cost of moving the State laboratories to Backweston, Celbridge, County Kildare, cost €79.3 million, a total of €199.3 million. The relocation of sections of the then Department of the Marine and Natural Resources was estimated to cost between €40 million and €50 million but the figure has not been confirmed. An alternative farm was purchased for the Department of Agriculture and Food at Longstown, Sallins, County Kildare, for €7 million. The GAA was promised €76 million, of which it initially received €19 million and a further €19 million to host the Special Olympics. A balance is still owing of €38 million.

When the Abbotstown project was mooted five years ago, a contract issued for the development of facilities costing €3.8 million. The contract was abandoned and the developer received €782,000 in compensation for doing nothing. That is a large amount and I am delighted a campus will be built on this 514 acre site, on which sporting bodies will be located.

The Minister of State is a constituency colleague and both he and the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism will be aware that Blanchardstown is one of the fastest growing areas in the State but does not have a regional park. There is a need for many facilities such as GAA and soccer pitches. The development of Abbotstown should address the deficit in sporting infrastructure in Blanchardstown over the past few decades of fantastic development because this will be the final opportunity to do so on this State land. If clubs that set up in the area must rent land from private developers, they will never own the facilities to which they are entitled. The population of Blanchardstown is expected to increase to 130,000. It has a young population given that only 3,300 people lived in the town in 1961. My party and I will strive to ensure the development of Abbotstown will include a regional park. That is not too much to seek in terms of the development of the community because there is a deficit in terms of sporting facilities in the area.

I am delighted the two large sporting organisations — the FAI and the IRFU — have set up a management structure for the development of Lansdowne Road. That was a momentous decision. One organisation will own the land but, at the end of the day, both will lease the venue for whatever activity and will generate advertising and ticket revenue and so on. They have shown what can happen when people sit down at the table to talk.

Ireland is not short of stadia as there is one in every major city. However, the utilisation of the stadia must be addressed. The far-reaching significance of the management agreement between the FAI and the IRFU is they have given the lead to other sporting organisations, which can retain their autonomy but can make better use of their facilities on behalf of the people. I call on the GAA to consider the same model as the FAI and the IRFU. That is not asking too much and I expect the GAA will come on side and share its facilities. At the end of the day, that decision will come down to commercial considerations.

When I began this campaign five years ago, I did not think that I would be in the Seanad or that Deputy Brian Lenihan would be sitting in the Minister's chair but that is how life turns out. Lansdowne Road will be redeveloped and it might also accommodate gaelic games. I hope Brendan Cummins, the Tipperary goalkeeper, will have retired by then because, given the length of his puck out, he might land the ball in the Havelock Square end. I wish this project the best but I hope the proper development of the 514 acre site at Abbotstown will take into account local needs in terms of sporting facilities.