First nail in Bertie Bowl coffin?
unison.ie
Coalition cutbacks poised to put Bertie Bowl on sideline
Monday August 26th 2002
THE Government is expected to decide next month to put the building of the 'Bertie Bowl' on the long finger due to the worsened state of the Exchequer finances.
New doubts about the provision of the National Stadium have emerged within the coalition, as ministers pare back on spending in their own individual departments for the rest of this year and into 2003.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Tanaiste Mary Harney are expected to have private discussions shortly about the changed circumstances.
Several ministers now feel these must put the stadium well down the Government's list of priorities.
But they will await the deliberations of a five-man steering group, which is finalising a report to be brought to Cabinet by Sports Minister John O'Donoghue, before formally deciding on the fate of the controversial Abbotstown project.
Investment of up to €600m would be involved in the stadium venture, which has been a continuing cause of division between the two government parties.
But with the Government coming under increased attack from health professionals as well as opposition parties over health service spending, in particular, there are increasing signs it will not take the political risk of bringing further intense criticism on its head by sanctioning the project at this time.
It is only three months since Fianna Fail and the PDs signed up in the Programme for Government to the provision of a "world-class" stadium. Mr Ahern is said to be maintaining his public stance that the project will go ahead at Abbotstown, though that site was not specifically mentioned in the programme.
But Ms Harney, who has always doubted the wisdom of the project, is expected to come under renewed pressure from her party not to go along with it.
With current controversies focusing on the level of cuts in the health service, senior figures in Fianna Fail as well as in the PDs are questioning how they can commit themselves to the stadium in view of the financial considerations involved.
They believe the political reality is that, however much they would like to see the stadium built, they would be hard-pressed to justify it "in the current circumstances". The whole question is likely to come to a head in the next couple of weeks, as the five-man steering group finalises its report for Mr O'Donoghue.
The Government is faced with a natural deadline for a decision - one way or the other, by September 16. This is the date pencilled in for an inspection visit by UEFA officials in advance of a December decision on the joint bid by the FAI and the Scottish FAI to host the 2008 European Championship finals.
Mr O'Donoghue has been meeting the GAA, FAI and IRFU to assess their views on the need for a new stadium and the most effective use of existing facilities.
Meanwhile, it is understood that two key private backers of the project, J P McManus and Dermot Desmond, have now indicated to the Government they favour a more central location in the capital rather than Abbotstown. Mr McManus has deposited €62.7m in a Swiss Bank as his contribution to the building of a stadium, while Mr Desmond is represented on the Campus Stadium Ireland Development board.
In another development last night, the Irish Football Supporters' Association said it was writing to GAA clubs nationwide asking them to abandon the rule preventing "foreign" games being played at Croke Park.
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Very appropriate McManus putting moeny in a swiss bank account.
IMO no Bertie Bowl means end of euro 2008 bid too. Don't think scots be too happy with that either...
