Taxpayer won’t pay for ditched stadium

THE taxpayer will not be out of pocket over a decision to abandon plans for a new greyhound stadium on a site purchased for more than €1 million near Limerick, the chief executive of the Irish Greyhound Board said yesterday.

The new stadium will instead go ahead on a 11-acre site at the old Limerick racecourse for which Bord na gCon has agreed to purchase for €3m. It is expected that racing will commence at the new stadium within three years at an overall cost of about €20m.

Plans for the original site on the Co Clare side of the Shannon near the Two Mile Inn Hotel were scuppered due to planning difficulties.