Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 67: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the amount of money spent on the Abbotstown national stadium project since its first inception in 1999; his views on whether this project was value for money in view of the fact that ten years later there is no stadium in the area, nor will there be for the foreseeable future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8516/09]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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At the outset it is necessary to describe the background to the concept of a sports campus at Abbotstown. The concept emerged from the 1999 PricewaterhouseCoopers feasibility study "A Stadium for a New Century." In January 2000 the Government adopted the study and decided to proceed with the development of Sports Campus Ireland at Abbotstown with Stadium Ireland as its centrepiece. At this time the Government also decided to build the National Aquatic Centre to be ready for the Special Olympics World Summer Games in June 2003. The National Aquatic Centre, the first element of the Campus, was completed on time and within budget at a cost of €62.5m. and was opened in March 2003. The Government decided in January 2004 to proceed with the development of Lansdowne Road as a 50,000 capacity stadium. At the same time the Government also approved the phased delivery of a sporting campus at Abbotstown to include medical and training facilities, administrative facilities, and eventually, with private investment, an indoor sports arena.

From 2004 to the end of 2008, the combined total of both capital and current expenditure on the National Sports Campus was €19.2 million. Of that amount, some €7.3 million capital was spent on the refurbishment of the former State Laboratories as the new headquarters for the FAI. An amount of €2.6 million capital has been incurred in developing the design for the Phase 1 facilities as provided for in the Development Control Plan prepared for the National Sports Campus and progressing these plans to planning application stage. A budget of €1.7 million capital has been provided for the refurbishment of the former Central Meat Control Laboratory as the new headquarters for the Irish Institute of Sport.

As I have previously stated in response to questions on the overall development, I am reviewing with the NSCDA how we might best advance the Campus project during 2009 and following years taking into consideration the current difficult economic constraints.