Another D-day for Eircom Park! - March 2,
2001
The Irish media have set Friday, March 9, as the latest crux day for Eircom Park - and this time they could be right!
FAI officials will collect the Irish Government's finalised proposals for ground-sharing Stadium Ireland on Monday and present them to the association's two ruling bodies the following Friday, along with property company Davy Hickey's proposal to become an equity partner with the FAI on Eircom Park.
First the proposals will go before the FAI's 21-member board of management. The 22 Eircom League clubs, many of whom oppose Eircom Park, have a disproportionately large representation on this body.
Then the proposals will be considered by the 51-member National Council, which has representatives from junior and schoolboy soccer from around the country. This body, representing Irish soccer's grass-roots, has so far been solidly behind Eircom Park.
Eircom Park opponents on both bodies will seek to force "either-or" votes, asking delegates to choose definitively between the Davy Hickey plan to bankroll the 45,000-seater Eircom Park; and the Government proposal, which offers massive financial inducements for the FAI to abandon Eircom Park and row in with the 80,000-seater Stadium Ireland.
Stadium Ireland, costing ten times more than Eircom Park and financed by Sean Taxpayer, is due to be completed some time in the 25th century, when it will be officially opened by Buck Rogers.