Soccer and rugby’s ground for optimism

SPORTS Minister John O’Donoghue yesterday locked the Government into the redevelopment programme for Lansdowne Road when he formally signed a legal agreement with the IRFU and the FAI to deliver the new €300m stadium by 2008.

The Minister announced the appointment of Willie Ryan as Project Director. He is an engineering graduate of UCD, holds an MBA from Trinity College and has more than 30 years Project Management experience in Ireland and overseas.

The new stadium will be a 50,000 all-seated facility with 64 corporate boxes and 8,000 premium seats. It is proposed to apply for planning permission late in 2005 and it is planned to commence construction in the second half of 2006.