Irish Sports headquarters opening marks major milestone
By Daire Walsh
A major milestone in Irish sport was reached yesterday with the official opening of the Irish Sports HQ at the National Sports Campus in Blanchardstown.
The hub will see 20 governing bodies – including the FAI and IRFU – base themselves at the west Dublin complex.
Joining An Taoiseach Enda Kenny was Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar, who confirmed that 17 multi-sport pitches and a pavilion are set to be open to the public by the end of this year, and that land has been allocated to the GAA, FAI, IRFU and Irish Hockey Association for further development on the site.
Minister Varadkar said that funding of the development will be split between the Government and the governing bodies, though the Government would be willing to provide additional help under the appropriate circumstances. Minister Varadkar said: “The land is state-owned land. We leased them the land for a long-term lease for 99 years, so essentially we provide the land for free, and provide them with sums in capital to get started.
“Most of the actual construction costs fall to the governing bodies, but where there are derelict buildings on the site, we are willing to give them a loan.”
The Minister also expressed hope that the centrepiece of the new campus – an indoor arena and indoor training facilities – will be built as soon as funding becomes available, but could not say when that might be.