The Government has agreed the terms of reference to commission independent consultants to carry out an overview of the Stadium Ireland project.
Answering Dáil questions this afternoon, the Minister for Sport Dr Jim McDaid said the review would examine the costs of building and running the project as well as other related matters including relocation expenses.
"Campus Stadium Ireland Development Ltd, which has responsibility for overseeing planning and development of the project, on the basis of further work carried out by PriceWaterhouseCoopers and professional estimates of the cost of commercial facilities planned, now estimates the cost of the campus, excluding the stadium, at £320 million, giving a final total of £550 million," he said."Because CSID has decided to put the project to the market on a public/private partnershiptype of approach, they estimate that the private sector will be prepared to invest £150 million in the project, mostly for the commercial facilities.
"When a private donation of £50 million is taken into account, the cost to the exchequer of Sports Campus Ireland, including Stadium Ireland, is estimated at £350 million," said Dr McDaid.
Dr McDaid said the review board examining the project would report back in three months.
Last week the Taoiseach denied any implication that the nationalstadium was an ego trip on behalf of himself, any other politician,or any sportsperson.
Mr Ahern said the Government was conscious of costs.
There has been mounting controversy over the plans for the proposedstadium, with the Tanaiste saying preparatory work on the projectcould not go ahead until the cost of the plans were examined by anindependent consultant.
She also said last week that if Croke Park gets the £60 million ingrants pledged by Mr Ahern, the GAA should be required to open thegrounds to other sports. If that happened, Ms Harney believed GAAheadquarters could fulfil the role of a National Stadium.
The Fine Gael leader Mr Noonan has described the reported projected cost of £1billion to build the stadium as a "national scandal".
Brian O'Shea, the Labour Party spokesman on sport, described the government's handling of the project as a disaster.
He said: "The issues which have caused most concern are the escalating costs of the project together with the machinations and manoeuvring that have gone on off-stage.
"The FAI was eventually made an offer that could not be refused.
"This was all done using taxpayers' money. We still do not have the full details of the agreements in principle reached between the government and the FAI."