Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 24: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the situation regarding objections from local residents to the proposed new Lansdowne Road stadium; if these concerns have been taken into account in the planning for the new stadium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2516/06]

Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 30: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the timescale involved for the completion of Lansdowne Road stadium; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2387/06]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 32: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism his views on the disruption caused to rail services by the redevelopment of the Lansdowne Road stadium; if discussions have been held with Iarnród Éireann; if so, the outcome of these discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2517/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 24, 30 and 32 together.

As the House is aware, in January 2004 the Government agreed to provide funding of €191million to the joint IRFU-FAI project for the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road stadium. The new design for the stadium, which I was very pleased to launch on Monday 17 October 2005, 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 those 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. Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company has adopted a very open and listening approach to the concerns of local residents, who understandably are concerned at the changes planned for the existing stadium grounds. Among the initiatives taken by the company is the establishment of a consultative forum, involving all the local residents groups, under an agreed independent chairman.

Very good progress has been made with this project and Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company, the company charged with delivery of the project, submitted the planning application for the project on 12 January 2006. At this stage it is not realistically possible to establish with certainty the length of time that will be required to complete the planning process. Working on the assumption that there is no untoward delay, construction work will commence in early 2007. Construction is scheduled to take 29 months and on that basis the end of 2009 could see completion of the redeveloped stadium, which would cater for the international rugby and soccer fixtures of the IRFU and the FAI.

From an early stage in the development of this project, discussions have been ongoing between the Lansdowne Stadium Development Company and CIE and Iarnród Éireann. These deliberations seek to ensure the safe demolition of the existing west stand of the Lansdowne stadium and the redevelopment of the new stand in the most cost-efficient manner while being mindful of the needs of the travelling public. The work involved will inevitably impinge on the rail line, because the existing west stand overhangs the Dart rail line. The discussions and planning relating to this programme of work have involved CIE, Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company, the IRFU and the FAI, my Department and both CIE and the Department of Transport. It is the intention of all concerned to find a satisfactory solution to the challenge of carrying out the work in the vicinity of the railway line in the shortest possible timeframe and in a cost efficient manner while endeavouring to ensure that travelling public who use the southern line of the Dart are not unduly disrupted.