The Taoiseach defended the spending of £380,000 on a feasibility study for the development of a new national stadium.

"I am delighted that we are getting this feasibility study under way," said Mr Ahern. "As we move into a new century, and at a time of improved economic prosperity, it is right that we have world-class sports and entertainment facilities available to our citizens."

He told the Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, that the feasibility study would show whether there was a requirement for a stadium. Croke Park was for one sport, and the FAI proposal for a stadium had not yet been completed.

"Unfortunately, we have no major stadium which would be considered similar to the other major stadiums elsewhere in the world."

Mr Bruton said the two most popular field sports, Gaelic games and soccer, both had their own national stadiums in place or at an advanced stage of planning. What major sports did the Taoiseach expect would use the third stadium which had already cost almost £0.5 million?

Mr Ahern repeated his view that the State needed a new national stadium.