Irish athletics was celebrating a significant development yesterday with the news that an indoor track is to be built at the Morton Stadium, Santry.

The project, costed at £4.8 million, also provides for the construction of a new headquarters for the Athletics Association of Ireland, formed last year from a merger of the old BLE and NACA organisations.

It represents a major advance in the challenge of refurbishing a sport which has suffered from inadequate funding and, in particular, the lack of an indoor facility, apart from the Nenagh Arena.

The Santry project, first mooted by the Minister for Sport Jim McDaid at last year's BLE Congress at Ballybofey, will provide:

A six-lane 200 metres running track.

An eight-lane 60 metres sprint track.

A six-lane 100 metres sprint track.

Three sandpits for long and triple jumps.

A shot putt, discus and javelin throwing area.

An infield area which can be used by other sports.

Dismountable seating for approximately 1,500 spectators.

The site for the project, valued at £2.5 million on the commercial market, has been donated free by Fingal Co Council. The enterprise, described by the Lord Mayor Alderman Maurice Ahern - the president of Clonliffe Harriers - as one of the most exciting developments in Irish athletics in years, evoked memories of the good old days at Santry.

At the announcement in the stadium yesterday, McDaid paid tribute to the late Billy Morton, the man whose vision brought Santry Stadium into being. "There are great memories of this place," he told his audience, "and I honestly believe that we can bring back some of the glory days to Morton Stadium. We currently have many world-class athletes and others on the brink of a breakthrough to the world stage."

Meanwhile, Pat Quigley, the FAI president, yesterday welcomed the Minister's £4.2 million grant to soccer clubs. "Having been critical of our allocation last year, it is only fair that we should now acknowledge the Government's improved funding for our sport," he said.