DAVID REDDY,
Sir, - The idea of redeveloping Lansdowne Road stadium on the Irish Glass Bottle site in Ringsend, floated by Frank McDonald in your edition of May 23rd, deserves serious consideration. It is a much more suitable location than Abbotstown for a national stadium, for several reasons:
1. It is accessible via the East Link and, when completed, the Dublin Port Access Tunnel and the tunnel/bridge that will eventually cross Sandymount Strand to finish off the M50 ring motorway.
2. It is less than 15 minutes' walk from the city centre and even less from many offices and businesses in Ballsbridge, Baggot Street and the rejuvenated Docklands area.
3. It is only about 10 minutes' walk from Sandymount, Lansdowne Road, Grand Canal Dock, Pearse, Tara Street, Connolly and Clontarf Road DART stations. Similarly, the extension of the Luas into the North Wall area would be close by.
4. Working in co-operation with neighbours such as the Point, car parking is more than adequate.
5. It is in an area already well used to the fuss and bother of several international matches a year annum and, judging by Michael McDowell's vote in the recent general election, it is clear the residents are keen on keeping a major stadium locally and not seeing it relocated elsewhere.
6. The immediate area around the IGB site is undergoing substantial development in the sporting sense with Dublin Corporation, together with the DDDA and the National Lottery upgrading Sean Moore Park, Irishtown Stadium and Ringsend Park. A new national stadium would fit in very nicely, being surrounded by top-class facilities catering for soccer, GAA, rowing, tennis and athletics.
If a national stadium is to be built at considerable public expense, let's at least get the location right. To my mind this spot would be a strong contender. - Yours, etc.,
DAVID REDDY, Durham Road, Dublin 4.