The Taoiseach has fuelled uncertainty over the future of the Campus and Stadium Ireland project, indicating first that it might be delayed by spending cuts but then that such cuts would make little difference after all.
In remarks to reporters at the Fianna Fβil Ardfheis at the weekend, Mr Ahern first hinted the project would indeed be affected by cuts. Asked if the Abbotstown project would be delayed, he said: "I think our capital programmes will be slower but that's all. I think they will be built. Next year is going to be a tight year in a budgetary frame but hopefully only next year. We will have to be careful."
However, he immediately suggested that such cuts might not, after all, make any difference to the project he has championed since shortly after becoming Taoiseach. "As it happens with Campus and Stadium Ireland," he said, "there wouldn't be a lot of money required to be spent on it next year anyway because it is still at the planning stage and probably it would be more into 2003, 2004 when it needs big money."
In separate comments, the Minister for Tourism and Sport, Dr McDaid, who is expected to receive the independent consultants report this week, indicated more clearly that the project would be delayed.
In his ardfheis speech, Dr McDaid said the Government would shortly make a decision on it and "remain committed to the idea of a national stadium". The aquatic centre, already under way at Abbotstown, would be built.
However he told reporters that the Government would "prioritise" and "reassess the situation" in the light of the new budgetary situation. "It may be we will take a little bit longer to build the national stadium."
He agreed with a question from a reporter that the project could be "put on the long finger".
The Cabinet is likely to make a decision within weeks on whether to go ahead with the project.
Progressive Democrat opposition has been strengthened by the recent economic downturn and the anxiety in Government to curb Government spending. If the project is to remain on course, the first substantial allocation to its construction would have to be made in the December 2002 budget.
After his remarks on its delay, Mr Ahern outlined his case for the project. "The reality with sport in this country is that unfortunately, through all the difficult years, we were not able to develop infrastructure of any decent size," he said.
New safety rules for Lansdowne Road, the home for Ireland's rugby and soccer internationals, would confine that ground to 22,000, he said, though there were indications that such a tight limit was unlikely to be applied to the ground.
"I don't detect that the people of this country want us staying like that forever. I felt personally sad to see us playing probably one of the most important World Cup matches in the 50 years I've been around \last month's Ireland vs Holland game in front of 33,000. If most premier division teams around Europe got that crowd for a home match they'd think there was something wrong with them.
"We are not Third World at much but we are in sport."