National stadium attracts 23 bidders

TWENTY-THREE separate private developers want to build the National Stadium, including groups from Britain, Germany and France, it emerged yesterday.

But JP McManus’s €63.5 million donation to the project will probably have to be given back to the millionaire financier as the stadium will not be built by the Government.

Sports Minister John O’Donoghue confirmed yesterday that 23 expressions of interest to build the stadium at Abbotstown, Co Dublin were received; 16 from Ireland, four from Britain, one from Northern Ireland, one from Germany and one from France.