McManus hits out over failure of Bertie Bowl
The Limerick man pledged E50 million to the project after Taoiseach Bertie Ahern earmarked the development of a world-class stadium as one of the Government's top priorities.
However the so-called 'Bertie Bowl' was abandoned after a series of political rows over the projected costs of the development.
The Government eventually had to hand back the E50m to McManus.
In an exclusive interview with the Irish Examiner, he revealed: "I would have loved to have seen the National Stadium built.
"The time was right for it, and whatever it may have appeared to cost, the benefits would have been far greater. There was unquestionably a need for it in the metropolitan Dublin area, and I have no doubt it would have more than repaid itself.
"In my view, there were too many politicians taking pot-shots for the sake of taking pot-shots and not over whether the stadium was right or wrong.
"It got mired in politics. It was on the mandate for the election, the Government was re-elected, but the stadium still wasn't built, so it's hard to understand. We got the 50m back to spend how we liked, and I suppose the Limerick County Board benefited to some degree."
Mr McManus was referring to his 5m gesture last year in clearing the debts from the redevelopment of the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.
He will be honoured by GAA president Sean Kelly this weekend for his "commitment and dedication" to the association.
Mr McManus compared the Government U-turn on a national stadium with the progressive attitude of the GAA in redeveloping Croke Park into a world-class facility.
"They were go-ahead from the start they got up and done it. Fair dues to them."
