Vol. 536 No. 2
428 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if, further to his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 196 of 9 May 2001, he is satisfied that alternative sites, rejected by the Stadium for the New Century report, are unsuitable; the reason the campus and the stadium must be physically adjacent; and if he will carry out a new independent study on the viability of developing Lansdowne Road. [14003/01]
I am satisfied the correct decision on siting the stadium has been taken. I recommend that the Deputy examines section 3 of the feasibility study. This section clearly outlines the criteria that were used for selection of sites. A total of 22 sites, both urban and greenfield, were identified by the consultants. A detailed scoring chart is outlined in the study which marks the shortlisted sites under size, ownership, access, public transport and planning. The study concluded that the Abbotstown site was the most suitable and went on to say that while it scored very highly under all of the above criteria, the most significant attributes are that the site is in State ownership and, therefore, there would not be a requirement to purchase land, that the size at 200 hectares allows maximum flexibility for development, that with its location on the M50 it provides excellent road access and that it is close to a railway line. Any study of the viability of developing Lansdowne Road is a matter for the IRFU.
