National stadium will bring money into the game, says FAI

THE Football Association of Ireland would be €2 million better off a year by the building of a National Stadium.

Outlining the organisations meagre finances, FAI treasurer John Delaney said given that their turnover for the year was only €12 million to €12.5 million, this would greatly increase the amount of money that could be put back into game.

“It is a must,” he said.

Insurance for players for each senior international match cost €100,000, based on the capital value and wages, Mr Delaney told the Oireachtas Sports Committee.

The restriction in capacity at Lansdowne Road was costing the FAI dearly. After rental and insurance costs, the organisation barely breaks even on the 11,000 bucket seats erected on the two terraces at the stadium for internationals, Mr Delaney said.

“Really what the FAI is doing is accommodating 11,000 people,” he said.

In the year to March 2003, the FAI made a modest profit because of revenues from the World Cup. No profit was made from the 1990 and 1994 World Cup campaigns, Mr Delaney said.

Defending the controversial deal with Sky Sports for broadcasting international matches, he said all the FAI was trying to do was attain the market value for the games.

Currently State funding of the FAI is just over €1.5 million a year, allocated through the Irish Sports Council.

Reflecting the reservations in her party towards building a National Stadium, Progressive Democrats TD Fiona O’Malley said she still was not convinced of the need for it.

“Given that we do have technically a National Stadium, and so much public money went into it, I myself am not enthusiastic about building a second one,” she said.