Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

That is the most disgraceful aspect of the whole issue of a national stadium. Five years later we now have a proposal, which I hope will go ahead, but in the meantime our soccer and rugby teams will have to play their matches abroad. Irish supporters will have to leave this country and spend their money in the United Kingdom and elsewhere and we will miss out on the revenue which could be generated by supporters coming to this country and spending their money here.

While the FAI speaks sweetly of the new proposal, in the long term I wonder how satisfactory it will be for the FAI. Who will own the Lansdowne Road stadium in the long term? It currently belongs to the IRFU, but the FAI will want a share if it is to invest money in it. That will cause problems. The planning process, which can be protracted, may also cause problems. Thankfully, the residents appear to speak well of it. We hope this will be up and running by 2008 and that matches will be played on it. In the meantime, our teams will play abroad. That could have been avoided if a decision had been taken and support given to the FAI, instead of obstacles having been put in its way to prevent Eircom Park being built.

I welcome the Minister's proposal to develop Abbotstown as a sports campus as it will be a great benefit to all sports. As it is located in my area, it will be a welcome facility and local sports clubs will be able to avail of it. When will all the facilities be put in place? I note that work is to be done on a phased basis and that funding will be provided on an annual basis. I welcome this and hope it will be developed as quickly as possible.

It has taken five years to make this decision on a development that will take four years to build. Shame on the Government that it has taken such a long time. That money has been wasted in the process is a disgrace. Money spent on fees for consultants at Abbotstown could have been spent on developing badly needed local sports facilities. On a daily basis, sports clubs are looking for pitches and changing facilities. Young girls trying to get involved in athletics and sports have to change in the ditches. How will this encourage young people to get involved in sport? How can we develop our young sports people into athletes who can compete on an international level when we will not give them the necessary facilities? Instead, we waste millions of euros on consultants' fees while we dither and are unable to make a decision.

I welcome the decision that has been taken. It is the right decision and one we have said for a long time should have been made. I wish it and the Minister of State well and hope the project will run smoothly and get started as quickly as possible.