The head of UEFA's inspection team has welcomed the latest assurances from the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and Scotland's First Minister, Mr Jack McConnell, about stadia for the 2008 European Football Championships.
Both leaders had yesterday restated their commitment to providing all eight stadia - two of which must be in Dublin - necessary for a successful Irish/Scottish joint bid to host Euro 2008.
In a joint letter to Mr Lars-Christer Olsson, director of professional football at UEFA, on the final day of the inspection team's five-day visit to Ireland and Scotland, they wrote: "We understand that you require as much certainty as possible about the provision of stadia for Euro 2008. You have now seen our four existing grounds at Hampden, Murrayfield, Celtic Park and Ibrox and we hope that you agree they would all be first-class venues for Euro 2008.
"However, we would also like to take this opportunity to reassure you about the four additional stadia required for 2008. Both the Irish and Scottish governments are fully committed to providing all the stadia necessary for this world-class tournament. If we succeed in winning Euro 2008, both governments expect to provide the eight stadia you require and to do so in good time for all of them to be tested in advance of the main competition.
"During your visit, you have heard our plans in detail, and you can be assured that these new stadia will be modern, with all the facilities you have specified, and that they will match or exceed your required capacities."
Mr Olsson was emphatic when asked about the merits of the Irish/Scottish bid. He commented: "What we have seen on our tour of Ireland and Scotland is totally convincing . . . Most of the facilities are built and we have a commitment from both governments for the other four stadia. We didn't have much doubt before, but it is good to have reassurance on commitment from the highest possible level. But, from what we saw and from the people we met in Ireland, we already had enough reassurance. We don't doubt the capacity of Ireland to provide the stadia."