1998 Summer: The FAI decide 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 announce they are 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 were scrapped.
July 28th: FAI agree a wide-ranging sponsorship deal with Telecom Eireann 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 association's representative teams for the same period, 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. FAI chief executive Bernard O'Byrne predicts that permission will take somewhere between five and 10 months to secure, after which building work will begin.
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 of that coming from JP McManus.
March 6th: The FAI's leadership meets Bertie Ahern and discusses the issue of the two stadiums, but afterwards FAI president Pat Quigley insists: "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 the 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". At an FAI board of management meeting, a cap of £3 million - already spent - is left in place.
July 8th: At the FAI a.g.m., O'Byrne makes a dramatic appeal to the grassroots of the organisation not to squander a "historic opportunity" to build the association a home of its own. The speech prompts a positive response from representatives of many of the leagues and associations, but is described as "deeply divisive" by National League officials.
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: South Dublin County Council grants planning permission, subject to 40 conditions, but sidesteps the issue of 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. As it turns out, 21 rather than 54 box sales had been secured, with 1,400 rather than 3,100 10-year seats. The advance revenue generated is in excess of £10 million less than had been claimed.
2001
January 22nd: The new FAI business plan is unveiled, revealing the latest costings at £130 million with £109 million of this going on construction. The level of anticipated debt is now estimated at £57 million. It is clear outside investors have to be found. Davy Hickey Properties (DHP), owners of the stadium site as well as the rest of the Citywest business park, appear to be the only interested party.
February 5th: After negotiations with DHP, representatives of the association report back on the finance deal that has been offered. It involves substantial payments from future profits, advance sales and even 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: The first meeting between the Government and FAI takes place. Ahern, Charlie McCreevy and McDaid broadly outline the offer on the table.
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: At meetings of the board of management and national council at Dublin's Green Isle Hotel, the FAI opt 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 (opening GAA grounds to other sports). 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 makes a decision to commission an independent review into all aspects of the Stadium Ireland project, in part after the pressure of the Tánaiste.
May 10th: Bidders for the contract to develop Sports Campus Ireland state their uncertainties about the risks associated with the project following the Government decision to commission an independent overview.
May 23rd: Fine Gael Leader Michael Noonan claims that the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation had misled the House on the issue.
October 13th: Initial reports suggest that the British consultants High Point Rendel report on the national stadium and sports campus puts the cost at £625 million - significantly higher than the £550 construction cost estimated by the Taoiseach and the project company, Campus and Stadium Ireland. The report is to be presented to the Government within a week.
October 15th: FAI chief executive Brendan Menton seeks an urgent meeting with the Government regarding the growing uncertainty over Stadium Ireland.
December 14th: Senior representatives of Scotland's bid to host the European Championship in 2008 will travel to Dublin on Monday in the hope of assessing once and for all whether a joint bid with the Republic is an idea worth pursuing. Croke Park is mentioned as one of the possible stadiums.
December 15th: The Government postpones a decision on whether to go ahead with a national stadium and sports campus until after Christmas amid continuing differences between the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste on the issue.
2002
January 23rd: Scottish First Minister Jack McConnell gives his blessing to a joint bid with the FAI and agrees that consultations about a joint bid should take place.
February 1st: The full details of the independent consultants' report carried out by High Point Rendel estimate the project will cost the Exchequer over €888.8 million (£700 million).
The report also criticises the management and planning of the project so far and points out that the Taoiseach's dream of initialising a national stadium will not be realised in this Government's lifetime.
