Kieran Phelan (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister to the Seanad and congratulate him and the Taoiseach on all the effort they have put into making this development a reality. As the Minister said, this will be a fantastic development, a stadium of which the country can rightly be proud. The development will comprise a state-of-the-art bowl-shaped all-seater stadium with a capacity for 50,000. It will consist of two single tiered stands at the north and south ends, while the east and west stands will have high capacity three tiers as well as space for corporate boxes. The seating will be covered by a transparent roof and from the published designs it seems the entire structure will be similar to the highly regarded McAlpine stadium in Huddersfield. The total cost of the development will be €250 million at current prices, but that is likely to rise to €292 million over the period of construction due to building cost inflation. The Government has wisely factored such increases into its calculations when assigning the relevant funds to the project.

There has been much speculation on this matter. Since before the last general election the issue of the national stadium has been discussed in detail by the press, politicians and the public. Never before has an issue concerning sporting infrastructure so captured the attention of the country. It would seem everyone has an opinion on the best way forward. Various options have been discussed, others dismissed. No one can accuse the Government of not considering the matter fully. Every possible scenario has been examined and now a conclusion has finally been arrived at that takes account of the current budgetary climate in which we find ourselves.

The case for remaining at Lansdowne Road has always been strong. There were clear economic considerations. A stadium is there already so it is not necessary to acquire land and build from scratch, but rather to improve on the facilities that exist. It is centrally located in Dublin terms and this allows for easier access for people throughout the city. It is on the DART line and general transport infrastructure is already in place.

It also adds more to the city. When Lansdowne Road plays host to a big match, Dublin as a whole enjoys the benefits. That is not only an economic consideration, but a cultural one. We do not simply sell the match. We sell the city with considerable economic benefits for hotels, public houses and shops.

However, I am sure another consideration weighed heavily on the minds of those who opted for Lansdowne Road. I am referring to the historic significance of the venue. Lansdowne Road is renowned as an historic and passionate venue throughout the sporting world. It has also been the scene of many great Irish sporting moments. When we think of Lansdowne Road, we think of the great Irish rugby teams of the 1980s, of Jack Charlton's record setting soccer team and that unforgettable match when the whole country cheered as Jason McAteer's goal helped us beat Holland on our way to the World Cup in Japan and Korea. Lansdowne Road is inextricably linked with these proud moments in Irish sport. That link will continue for the foreseeable future as a result of this proposal.

When announcing these proposals, the Minister also announced his plans for the Abbotstown project. I was pleased to hear that the Government has decided to proceed with the development of state-of-the-art infrastructure over time at the Abbotstown site. Step by step, the sports campus will come to life. Once in place, it will provide world class training and organisation facilities for our various sporting bodies and stars. It will benefit amateur and professional sports people alike. It will also add significantly to the magnificent National Aquatic Centre in Abbotstown.

The National Aquatic Centre, which opened last year, recorded 600,000 visitors in its first six months. Last year, it played host to 500 swimmers from 40 countries during the European short-course swimming championships. That event was broadcast to an audience of 30 million people, all of whom view this as a venue of which we can be proud. Let us not forget that last year's historic Special Olympics, which brought such festivities and pride to the country as a whole, would not have been possible had the Aquatic Centre not been in place. During those games 600 athletes from 160 countries competed at the venue. I am sure television viewers and the 2,500 people who attended were impressed by the venue. Lest we forget, it too is a part of the Abbotstown sporting development so widely criticised.

I noticed, as the debate on the national stadium developed, both here today and in the last few weeks, that some members of the Opposition have seen fit to criticise the Government and the Taoiseach, in particular, on that issue. The Taoiseach and the Government have been accused of vanity for taking time to reach this decision. It is remarks like those that give a bad name to politics. Clearly, the Government explored other options before deciding on the proposed plan of action.