Reynolds and Ahern at odds over stadium, tribunal is told
FORMER Taoisigh Albert Reynolds and Bertie Ahern held completely opposing views about a new national stadium in Neilstown in Dublin.
Mr Reynolds introduced US- based financiers Chilton O'Connor to stadium project developer Owen O'Callaghan, but when Mr Ahern succeeded Mr Reynolds he was not supportive, the Mahon Tribunal heard yesterday.
Ambitious plans for the stadium, which would have rivalled the Sunderland Stadium of Light, never materialised, architect Ambrose Kelly told the planning probe.
In spite of a line-up of potential interested parties, which included U2 manager Paul McGuinness, soccer pundit Eamon Dunphy and Sam Hammam, the then-owner of Wimbledon Football Club, the stadium project never progressed.
Something had to be done with the Neilstown land in order to prevent the rezoning on the nearby Quarryvale site from lapsing so the late Liam Lawlor suggested building a football stadium on it, Mr Kelly said.
As the architect employed by Mr O'Callaghan on Quarryvale, Mr Kelly was also involved with the stadium project.
"Architecturally it was one of the most exciting projects which I have ever been involved in," he added.
Mr Kelly, Mr Lawlor and Frank Dunlop, who was Mr O'Callaghan's lobbyist on Quarryvale, were all involved and there had even been talk of setting up a separate company for the stadium.
Mr Kelly said he had been asked to approach Mr O'Callaghan about a success fee or a bonus of IR£250,000 for the stadium.
This idea had probably come from the late Liam Lawlor. It wasn't something which he relished doing, but he did it, even though he knew what the answer would be.
"I think I said something like the lads are looking for a success fee, or something like that," Mr Kelly recalled.
"It was not a nice subject to be discussing," Mr Kelly added.
He said Mr O'Callaghan didn't throw him out of the room, but refused to pay a bonus.
- Lorna Reid
