The Government has insisted the future grants to the GAA will not be linked to the opening of Croke Park for use in the European Championships in 2008.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, is meeting GAA president Sean McCague at government buildings this evening, with the issue of funding expected to top the agenda.

Sports Minister John O'Donoghue has revealed that the Government has received 23 expressions of interest from the private sector following the cabinet's refusal to fund the Stadium Ireland project.

Sports Minister John O'Donoghue has said the four submissions of interest in the Stadium Ireland project must be examined in detail before any decision is made on whether to accept formal offers.

The deadline for private businessmen to submit expressions of interest in the proposed Stadium Ireland project has expired.

At least three known property developers have submitted expressions of interest in the proposed Stadium Ireland project.

THE FAI has welcomed a commitment by the Government that a final decision on the construction of a national sports stadium will be made by the end of next month.

THE FAI and bid organisers remain confident of landing the European Championship for Ireland and Scotland even though the GAA is adamant it will not make Croke Park available for the event.

The Euro 2008 UEFA inspection team insist they have no doubts Ireland will be able to provide two stadia as part of the joint bid with Scotland for the Championships.

FAI PRESIDENT Milo Corcoran, was yesterday elected to a prestigious post with UEFA in which he will have responsibility for under-age football.

The UEFA delegation assessing the joint Ireland-Scotland bid to host Euro 2008 will hold a news conference this evening

SPORTS chiefs insisted last night the Government would still have to pay them €120 million worth of grants despite the climbdown on the National Stadium.

The Tanaiste, Mary Harney, has denied claims that her relationship with the Taoiseach has been damaged by the Stadium Ireland fiasco.

GOVERNMENT grants worth €60million promised to the GAA have been placed in doubt by the decision not to build the National Stadium with taxpayers money.

FORMER FAI chief executive Bernard O’Byrne had derived no personal satisfaction from the collapse of the Stadium Ireland project.

Irish sporting bodies have reacted with disappointment to yesterday’s news that the Taoiseach’s controversial Stadium Ireland project is now effectively on hold.

The Taoiseach has said he hopes the business community will invest in his Stadium Ireland project after the Government refused to allow taxpayers money to be used in the scheme.

The Government today abandoned the Stadium Ireland project and has called on the GAA to open up Headquarters to make the joint Ireland/Scotland Euro 2008 bid a reality.

The Cabinet is expected to discuss the controversial Stadium Ireland issue later today.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and the Tánaiste, Mary Harney, are due to meet today to discuss a possible compromise plan on the proposed National Stadium.

THE most important date for the joint Scotland/Ireland committee bidding to host the European Championship finals of 2008 is September 16.

The Consumer Association of Ireland has joined criticism of the FAI's sale of television rights for Irish games, labelling the deal as ‘greedy’.

The Green Party has launched a scathing attack on the Progressive Democrats election promises, accusing them of political opportunism over the national stadium project.

Sean Kelly’s campaign for the presidency of the GAA at this weekend’s annual congress received a boost yesterday after GAA trustee Noel Walshe withdrew from the race.

The leader of the Fine Gael party, Michael Noonan, has called on the Taoiseach to make a full statement to the Dail on the controversies surrounding the Stadium Ireland project.

Paddy Teahon, the chairman and chief executive of the company overseeing the Stadium Ireland project, has reiterated his refusal to resign over the aquatic centre scandal.

Fine Gael has launched a scathing attack on the Taoiseach over the controversy surrounding the aquatic centre currently under construction in west Dublin.

The Dail’s public accounts committee is to examine the accounts of the firm established to oversee the construction and operation of the controversial Stadium Ireland project in west Dublin.

The future of Ireland's joint bid for the 2008 European football championships is still hanging in the balance.

Ireland’s hopes of entering a joint bid with Scotland to host the 2008 European Championships are in doubt this morning because of an apparent split in the Government.

The Tanaiste and the Taoiseach have both conceded that the current Government will not make a final decision on the fate of the controversial Stadium Ireland project.

A report on the viability of the so-called "Bertie Bowl" has raised serious concerns about the project.

The proposed ‘Stadium Ireland’ project looks set to be put on hold following comments that were made by the Taoiseach and the Minister for Sport.

The Minister for Sport, Dr Jim McDaid, has appointed an international consultancy company to carry out the overview on the costs and benefits of Stadium Ireland.

The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern says he is determined that the Stadium Ireland project goes ahead.

The FAI has given the Taoiseach its full backing in the Stadium Ireland row, calling it "the most positive development for Irish sport in the history of the State".

The Government is expected to approve the terms of reference for a review of the Stadium Ireland project later this morning.

Northern Ireland's sports stars should be encouraged to make full use of the 'Bertie Bowl', Sinn Fein's Barry McElduff has said.

Northern Ireland’s sports stars should be encouraged to make full use of an new all-purpose stadium planned for the Irish Republic, a Sinn Fein MLA said today.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has admitted to the Dail that there were "breakdowns in communications" over the proposed £60 million grant to the GAA for Croke Park.

The FAI and the government are to meet again today over the long-running issue of eircom Park and Stadium Ireland.

The meeting between the Football Association of Ireland and the Taoiseach and the Minister for Sport has ended.

The Football Association of Ireland is holding a breakfast time summit with the Taoiseach to discuss the possibility of becoming involved in the Stadium Ireland project.

The FAI are to enter talks with the government to establish the basis for use of space in Stadium Ireland.