The Bill will set out the functions of the national sports campus development authority as opposed to the minutiae of what will be located at Abbotstown. The authority's functions will be to develop a sports campus on site; furnish, equip and manage it; operate and maintain it; and encourage and promote its use by professional and amateur sports people and members of the public. A development plan must be submitted for approval to the Government. In addition, details of each phase must be submitted for approval before its commencement. We will have an opportunity to discuss the legislation at a later date.
In the interim, as I stated previously, when a decision was made to construct a stadium at Lansdowne Road it was also decided that the campus at Abbotstown would proceed on a phased basis. In that respect, I spoke with Campus Stadium Ireland and asked it to draw up a priority list of what it considered should be located at Abbotstown and cost its proposals. I hope it will be possible to proceed with the first phase of the sports campus at Abbotstown in the not too distant future.
With regard to the sports which will be accommodated at Abbotstown, I fully agree with Deputy Wall that minority sports could be assisted through the development of the sports campus at Abbotstown and that they should be catered for. I have no doubt this will be the case.
With regard to the indoor arena to which the Deputy referred, this may be a candidate for a public private partnership and there is a strong possibility it will be commercially viable. The issue may be examined in that context. In the meanwhile, the main objective is to try to advance the campus by acquiring funding.