Minister holds firm against Dublin clubs

The Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism John O'Donoghue has vowed not to give into blackmail in the row over the proposed stadium in Tallaght.

He was responding to reported plans by a group of six south-county Dublin clubs to seek judicial review of the government decision to withdraw funding from the project if the South Dublin County Council proceeds with a decision to turn the stadium into a multi-sports facility.

The remarks were made during an interview on Dublin local radio station Newstalk 106 programme Off the Ball. "If the GAA want to go off and seek a judicial review that's their business," the minister said, "but I'd remind them of one thing. Under the Sports Capital Programme since 1998 I have allocated over €135 million to the GAA. In recent times I have allocated over €1,700,000 to three clubs in south county Dublin, Thomas Davis, St Mark's and St Anne's, and I would be prepared obviously to assist them in relation to their development at Rathcoole, but what I won't do is give into blackmail."

Reference to Rathcoole is to land acquired by the Dublin County Board in order to build a centre of excellence. When this was pointed out by interviewer Eoin McDevitt, the minister said there were 26 acres on the site and plenty of room for a stadium.

O'Donoghue also said that he had no plans to meet the clubs, Thomas Davis, St Anne's, St Mark's, St Jude's, Faughs and Croí Ró Naofa, or the GAA on the matter. "There's nothing to discuss. I've already told South Dublin County Council that this would be for soccer, a home for Shamrock Rovers . . . At no stage was it envisaged that the GAA would be involved."

The background to the dispute is that having secured government-funding for the Tallaght stadium, which would house soccer club Shamrock Rovers, SDCC decided at a meeting in December to expand the venue into a multi-sports arena.

According to the minister, this was in conflict with what had been agreed between SDCC and the Government.

After the threat to withdraw funding, the council reversed their December decision.