Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 71: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he will expand on recent comments that he views the development of a stadium for soccer exclusively as a preferable option for the new stadium for Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght; if he will withhold funding for the new stadium if it is also to be used for hosting Gaelic games; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8188/06]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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An amount of €2.4 million has already been provided by my Department under the sports capital programme for the development of a soccer stadium in Tallaght. The site provided and previous works carried out were based on the requirements of a soccer stadium. The detailed design specification which South Dublin County Council has obtained and is using to finalise a contract to complete the project works is also based on soccer stadium dimensions.

My continued support to South Dublin County Council in putting together a financial package to ensure the completion of the stadium in Tallaght was always based on the plan to provide a soccer stadium for Tallaght which would serve as a viable, long-term home for Shamrock Rovers Football Club. While a final cost on the completion of the stadium has yet to be determined, it is clear that significant funding will be sought from my Department. To ensure that any such funding is justified and will provide value for money, serious consideration must also be given to the stadium accommodating two soccer clubs on a ground-sharing basis, a concept recommended for Dublin clubs in the 2005 Genesis report on the Eircom League.

That completed stadium will remain in the control of South Dublin County Council and therefore the management and additional usage of the stadium and any ancillary facilities will be a matter for the council to decide. Facilitating the possibility of ground-sharing by two Eircom League soccer clubs at the Tallaght stadium is a priority, while at the same time I would welcome the multi-usage of the facilities at Tallaght for all other sports whose organisers deem the completed facility to be suitable.

I welcome the decision taken by South Dublin County Council at its meeting of 13 February 2006 to complete the stadium at Tallaght to the specification originally planned. It means that discussions can now take place to determine the immediate priorities for the project to ensure an early commencement of works on the site. As I have already publicly stated, I am anxious that the stadium will be completed as a matter of urgency.