Bertie Bowl back on track as investor joins the game

THE Taoiseach’s battered hopes for a National Stadium were boosted last night when one of the country’s leading property investors expressed interest in taking on the project.

The boost came as inspectors from European football’s governing body assessed Ireland’s bid to co-host Euro 2008 with Scotland.

Answering Bertie Ahern’s call for private investors to come forward, Dunloe Ewart plc chairman Noel Smyth said he believes a stadium would be viable on certain conditions. But Mr Smyth says any proposal would require tax incentives from the Government.

According to a Dunloe Ewart spokesman, Mr Smyth thinks it necessary the stadium would start with two anchor tenants, the FAI and IRFU, but it would also have to be capable of hosting major exhibitions, conferences and other events. The consortium headed by Mr Smyth would be looking to develop hotel facilities adjoining the stadium.

Previously , Mr Smyth put forward a plan for a Clondalkin-based stadium, modelled on the Vitesse Gelredome in Armhem, where the pitch can be removed to allow the stadium surface to be used as an alternative venue.

A solicitor and property magnate, Mr Smyth is legal adviser to some of the country’s most successful entrepreneurs, and has himself become a wealthy businessman. He came to public attention as legal adviser to former supermarket owner Ben Dunne at the height of his travails in the early 1990s.

But he also has more than 25 years experience in the commercial real estate business in Ireland.

Despite the Government’s failure to fund the National Stadium with taxpayer’s money, the Scottish-Irish Euro 2008 Committee said yesterday its bid is extremely robust and fulfils the criteria UEFA laid out.

When the stadia issue was raised during inspection yesterday, the UEFA team was assured the bid could deliver on commitments.

After visiting the site of the proposed National Stadium at Abbotstown and touring Croke Park, the UEFA delegation met with Mr Ahern and Sports Minister John O'Donoghue at Government Buildings.

Mr Ahern confirmed the Government’s support for the bid and said he was confident Ireland can meet all of UEFA’s requirements.

UEFA’s communications director Mike Lee, an inspection team member, said the Ireland-Scotland bid was alive and kicking.

“It’s still early days in the week but this bid has looked strong on paper and it looks strong at the end of today’s presentation,” he said.

At this point, Mr Lee said there was no bid that has all its stadia in place and finished.

But he said UEFA had to ensure there was certainty about any plans so they can be confident in making their decision in December.

Clearly there are some issues which have arisen in relation to both of those sites but I think from the Taoiseach’s statements, and to be fair to the bidding committee, they believe those issues can be resolved. That is a matter for them.”

FAI general secretary Brendan Menton said the delegation had been assured possible private finance was in the pipeline for the National Stadium.