Top sports bodies asked to dig deep for Campus

THE government is asking the country’s three biggest sporting bodies to cough up the bulk of the finance needed to construct the first phase of the National Sports Campus on Dublin’s northside.

The GAA, FAI and IRFU have met Minister for Sport Leo Varadkar’s office to discuss the best way forward for a project which has been stalled in recent years.

Mr Varadkar yesterday said there is little public money available, meaning the build — which would include pitches, fitness areas, medical and gym facilities — would need significant support big three.

“Talks have been very detailed with the GAA because the GAA is in a very strong position financially,” he said.

“We have not had too many discussions with the IRFU as of yet because they are paying off the debt on the Aviva Stadium. We have had some discussions with the FAI that we might be able to do something on a partnership and they have already shown a real commitment to the Sports Campus by moving out there.”

The FAI and Irish Institute of Sport are the only tenants on site at the Sports Campus at the moment but Mr Varadkar has also indicated that the long-mooted Sports HQ, which would cater for over 60 national governing bodies, may get the green light.

“There is also a small piece of the site that isn’t designated and could be sold and we could raise some money that way but we are not going to have much taxpayers’ money for it. We are talking to philanthropic donors as well,” he said.

The estimate for the original phase one development in 2005 was €119m although a revised blueprint was subsequently unveiled when the economy faltered.

Mr Varadkar was speaking after the official announcement that the Aviva Stadium will be host venue for the 2013 Heineken Cup final, a status it claimed despite a relatively small capacity of 51,000.

“Clearly we have very important financial targets to meet and we’ll meet those,” said Derek McGrath, chief executive of tournament organisers ERC. “Once the Aviva project was finished it was just a question of when it would host the final.”

Croke Park was not considered and IRFU chief executive Philip Browne yesterday said European rugby’s showcase will be held in the Aviva when in the Aviva when it returns to the Irish capital in the future.

McGrath also confirmed the stadium would be referred to by its official name on matchday, unlike last month’s Europa League final when the venue was rebranded the Dublin Arena to meet with UEFA policy.

McGrath also revealed the ERC was hoping to host the Heineken final in Italy for the first time in the next few years.

“We’re very conscious that the Heineken Cup final is a rugby event and it is owned by the shareholders and stakeholders who are the unions and the clubs and therefore one of the concerns would be about moving it outside of that (Six Nations countries). But I would never say never. Some of the great occasions have been outside.”