Decision on Lansdowne due this month
Tánaiste Mary Harney and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern appeared to be at loggerheads on the issue over the weekend with Mr Ahern still backing a 65,000-seater stadium at Abbotstown, in West Dublin.
But Mr Ahern insisted the building of a second stadium, after Croke Park, was his main priority.
“We need a second stadium. I’d like it to be in Abbotstown but by and large I think we need a second stadium. I’m not hung up and never was about where,” he said.
Ms Harney believes the reconstruction of Lansdowne Road is the best option.
“The infrastructure is in Lansdowne Road. It is on a train link, it’s close to the centre of the city,” she said.
The decision on where to build the new national sports stadium will be taken by the Government before the end of January.
Sports Minister John O’Donoghue will soon present the two options to his Cabinet colleagues.
Ms Harney’s backing of a second stadium has pleased her coalition partners and Government sources were certain last night Lansdowne will get the green light.
The IRFU and the FAI are also supporting the Lansdowne Road development.
FAI Chief Executive Fran Rooney urged the Government to make a quick decision on the issue.
Should Lansdowne get Government approval before the end of the month it could prevent the switching of Ireland’s home soccer games abroad, for the upcoming World Cup qualifying series.
The fixtures could be moved out of Ireland because the world governing soccer body, FIFA, will no longer allow the temporary seating used in Lansdowne Road for international soccer games.
Mr Rooney said a positive decision in favour of Lansdowne would help the FAI convince FIFA to grant the stadium a stay of execution.
“We would be in a much stronger bargaining position if that were to happen,” he said.
But there could still be further development at the “Bertie Bowl” greenfield site adjacent to the National Aquatic Centre in Abbotstown.
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