The Taoiseach has re-affirmed his commitment to the Sports Campus Ireland project. In a speech at a conference in Dublin, Bertie Ahern said that he is determined that the project will go ahead. Mr Ahern said that the investment in the project will repay itself many times over in terms of our national development.
The Taoiseach added that the cost of the project is only a fraction of what some of its critics claim. He said that even if it seems controversial right now he strongly believed it was the only way forward. Mr Ahern said that it was right that the project should be subject to scrutiny and that the Government wanted to ensure that taxpayers not only get full value for money but also are fully reassured of the costing by an authoritative independent voice.
Mr Ahern also pointed out the increased spending on sport in recent years. The budget for sport has gone up from £13.5m in 1997 to £50m last year and £117m in 2001. He made his comments in a speech to mark High Performance Foundation Day.
