Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 September 2007
555 Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the steps he has taken to ensure that the brand name of the new Lansdowne Road National Stadium is not sold off to the highest bidder resulting in an inappropriate commercial trade mark name being attached, by way of contract to the national stadium, which is being financed, in part, by the Irish taxpayer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20401/07]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, in January, 2004, the Government agreed to provide funding of €191m towards the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road Stadium as a 50,000-capacity all-seater state-of-the-art facility. It has been agreed with the IRFU and FAI who are jointly leading the project that they are to provide the balance of the funding. I am informed that the IRFU and FAI are providing their respective shares of the funding utilising a number of funding strategies and these include an initiative to evaluate and ultimately market the naming rights for the new stadium. The initiative regarding the naming rights is a matter for the sports organisations concerned which are independent, autonomous bodies responsible for the promotion and development of their sports at all levels throughout the country.
