Eircom Park hit with £31m stumbling block - June 2, 2000 FAI chief executive Bernard O'Byrne has hit back at critics of the proposed Eircom Park Stadium. Media reports say the FAI's Eircom Park dream is in serious trouble after it was disclosed that there is a shortfall of £31.4m to finish the job. Yesterday O'Byrne dismissed suggestions that the association will have to borrow £30m to complete the planned Eircom Park stadium project. This figure emerged at a meeting of the FAI Council this week when delegates from all over the country met the officers of the FAI to discuss a revised business plan for the successful completion of the project. O'Byrne said: "Funding is not an issue for us. However I am concerned that there is a concerted campaign being waged against this project in a bid to undermine it and its supporters. "There is a futile attempt to try and deflect the FAI from its determination to complete the project. We said from the start that the cost of constructing Eircom Park would total £65m. Nothing has changed there. "The site costs amount to £16.7m but we knew that from the outset as well and have plans made to reach that target. It is unfair and wrong to say that we have a shortfall at this stage because we are not at the building stage yet. By the time we are at that stage I am confident that we will be fully funded." |