Chronology of the Stadium Saga:
1998
Summer: The FAI decides to build a stadium. A suggestion that it be modelled on the Gelredome in Arnhem provides impetus for the scheme.
Autumn: First business plan drawn up. FAI treasurer Brendan Menton describes it as "optimistic", but there is broad agreement that the idea is worth pursuing.
1999
January 19th: A deal for Citywest site is concluded.
January 20th: The arena is officially launched when the FAI announces it is to spend £65 million on a 45,000-seat stadium at Fortunestown on a site adjacent to the Citywest Business Campus. Inexplicably, the £16 million cost of the 50-acre site is excluded from the £65 million figure.
July 13th: Minister for Sport Dr Jim McDaid says the Government would consider favourably a request from the National League for £11 million in capital grants if the arena was scrapped.
July 28th: FAI agrees a wide-ranging sponsorship deal with Telecom Éireann worth £18 million. The company, about to be rebranded as Eircom, will pay £11 million for the 10-year naming rights to the arena, £6 million to sponsor the representative teams, and £1 million to back the National League for four years.
October 10th-15th: FAI lodges application for planning permission with South Dublin County Council.
2000
January 26th: The Government reveals details of its plan for an 80,000-seat stadium and 15,000-seat indoor arena on a 230-acre site at Abbotstown, north west Dublin. The cost is put at £281 million with £50 million coming from J.P. McManus.
March 6th: The FAI's leadership meets Bertie Ahern and discusses the two stadiums, but afterwards FAI president Pat Quigley says: "We wish the Government well, but nobody should be in any doubt that we intend to see Eircom Park in place by 2002".
March 10th: Cracks begin to appear among FAI's directors, with a vote on whether to undertake a study of the Government's offer at Abbotstown producing an 11-6 margin against.
July 5th: Menton warns: "In the event of planning permission being refused, the association will be left in a financially precarious position."
July 8th: At the FAI a.g.m., O'Byrne appeals to the grassroots not to squander a "historic opportunity" to build the association a home of its own.
August 2nd: Menton resigns from the board of Centime Ltd, the company established by the FAI to handle the development of Eircom Park.
September 10th: Council grants planning permission, subject to 40 conditions, but sidesteps the Department of Defence's objections by calling for an independent safety report.
December 9th: Figures released to the board of management support long-standing claims by the scheme's critics that IMG had been overestimating the number of guaranteed box and seat sales.
2001
January 22nd: The new FAI business plan is unveiled, with latest costings at £130 million with £109 million going on construction. The level of anticipated debt is now estimated at £57 million. Outside investors have to be found. Davy Hickey Properties (DHP), owners of the stadium site, appear to be the only interested party.
February 5th: After negotiations with DHP, association representatives report on the finance deal on offer. It involves substantial payments from future profits, advance sales and television revenue.
February 9th: O'Byrne and his supporters bow to mounting pressure to meet the Government. The chief executive claims afterwards that he supports the move because of the timing.
February 23rd: First meeting between the Government and FAI takes place.
March 6th: At the second meeting the Government put forward the details of their proposal. It includes grants of £45 million over three years and a commitment of extensive support for development programmes at all levels of the game.
March 9th: The FAI opts to row in with the Government. Eircom Park is dead.
April 6th: The GAA receives news of a £60 million Government grant towards the redevelopment of Croke Park on the eve of their a.g.m. which is to carry a vote to reform Rule 42. The vote to amend the rule is marginally rejected.
April 12th: The Tánaiste and Government Opposition parties again question the GAA grant of £60 million and whether or not it is conditional on the GAA opening Croke Park to other sports. The Taoiseach insists he can't force the GAA to open Croke Park.
May 1st: The Government decides to commission an independent review into all aspects of the Stadium Ireland project.
May 10th: Bidders for the contract to develop Sports Campus Ireland state their uncertainties about the risks following the Government decision to commission an independent overview.
May 23rd: Fine Gael leader Michael Noonan claims the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation had misled the House.
October 13th: Initial reports suggest that British consultants HighPoint Rendel's report on the national stadium and sports campus puts the cost at £625 million - significantly higher than estimated.
October 15th: FAI chief executive Brendan Menton seeks an urgent meeting with the Government over Stadium Ireland.
December 14th: Senior representatives of Scotland's bid to host the European Championship in 2008 to travel to Dublin to assess whether a joint bid with the Republic is worth pursuing. Croke Park is mentioned as a possible stadium.
December 15th: The Government postpones a decision on a national stadium and sports campus until after Christmas.
2002
January 23rd: Scottish First Minister Jack McConnell gives his blessing to a joint bid with the FAI.
February 1st: The independent consultants' report estimates the project will cost the Exchequer over €888.8 million (£700 million). It also criticises the management and planning of the project so far and says the national stadium will not be realised in this Government's lifetime.
February 27th: The GAA indicates Croke Park could be made available to stage Euro 2008 games.
February 28th: The preliminary-stage joint Irish-Scottish bid for the 2008 tournament is submitted after the Government agrees a compromise formula to support it.
March 26th: The head of the Sports Campus project Paddy Teahon resigns after a protracted controversy over selection of the company to run the National Aquatic Centre.
April 24th: On the eve of the general election campaign, the Taoiseach insists a commitment on the National Stadium will feature in Fianna Fáil's manifesto.
April 29th: Tensions are raised between the Government parties when Attorney General and PD candidate Michael McDowell derides Campus Ireland as a "Ceausescu-era Olympic project".
April 30th: Fianna Fáil drops its commitment on the full Campus Ireland, pledging only to build a €400 million National Stadium.
May 3rd: The FAI and IRFU intervene in the election campaign, in a joint statement ruling out either Croke Park or a revamped Lansdowne Road as long-term solutions to their needs. Only a new stadium, with a capacity of 60,000-65,000 will do, they say.
June 3rd: The Agreed Programme for Government pledges to "start work on the construction of a world-class stadium," but does not specify Abbotstown as the site.
September 10th: The Government announces that no public money will be spent on the stadium, and that private funds will now be sought instead.
September 13th: The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism places newspaper advertisements seeking expressions of interest from private parties in the provision of a stadium.