1998

Summer: Suggestion that the stadium might be modelled on the Gelredome in Arnhem provides improved focus for the scheme.

Autumn: First business plan drawn up. FAI treasurer Brendan Menton describes it as "optimistic", but there is broad agreement that the idea is worth pursuing.

1999

Jan 19th: A deal for Citywest site is concluded.

Jan 20th: The Arena is officially launched when the FAI announce they are to spend £65 million on a 45,000seat stadium at Fortunestown on a site adjacent to the Citywest Business Campus. It is to be a highly adaptable venue, incorporating a retractable roof and sliding pitch. It will be built by Dutch engineering firm HBG (parent of Ascon and Rohcon), while IMG, Deutsche Bank and Deloitte & Touche are amongst the partners unveiled. Inexplicably, the £16 million cost of the 50-acre site is excluded from the £65 million figure. Commenting on the project, FAI chief executive Bernard O'Byrne claims: "With this project the FAI firmly takes hold of its own destiny and with it, we are confident, the financial future of the association will be secured."

July 13th: Minister for Sport Dr McDaid says the Government would consider favourably a request from the National League for £11 million in capital grants if the Arena were scrapped.

July 28th: FAI agree a wide-ranging sponsorship deal with Telecom Eircom worth £18 million. The company, about to be rebranded as Eircom, will pay £11 million for the 10-year naming rights to the Arena, £6 million to sponsor the association's representative teams for the same period, and £1 million to back the National league for four years.

October 10th-15th: FAI lodges application for planning permission with South Dublin County Council. O'Byrne predicts that permission will take somewhere between five and 10 months to secure, after which building work will begin.

2000

January 26th: The Government reveals details of its plan for an 80,000-seat stadium and 15,000-seat indoor arena on a 230-acre site at Abbotstown, north west Dublin. The cost is put at £281 million with £50 million of that coming from JP McManus.

Feb 2nd: As National League clubs show signs of restlessness about ignoring the Government's offer of a home in Stadium Ireland, O'Byrne insists that "we expect that Eircom Park can be built without any borrowing and . . . we can generate considerable profits from day one".

Feb 4th: At an FAI board of management meeting, Menton expresses his misgivings, observing that there are "some issues which need to be addressed" in relation to the project.

March 6th: The FAI's leadership meets Bertie Ahern and discusses the issue of the two stadiums, but afterwards FAI president Pat Quigley insists: "We wish the Government well, but nobody should be in any doubt that we intend to see Eircom Park in place by 2002".

March 10th: Cracks begin to appear among the FAI's directors, with a vote on whether to undertake a study of the Government's offer at Abbotstown producing an 11-6 margin against.

May 24th: The Department of Defence's opposition to Eircom Park threatens to hold up the planning process.

July 5th: Menton warns: "In the event of planning permission being refused, the association will be left in a financially precarious position". At an FAI board of management meeting, a cap of £3 million - already spent - is left in place.

July 7th: At a special meeting of league clubs, Menton receives support for his call that all documentation relating to the project be turned over to him. League chairman Michael Hyland is put under severe pressure to reflect the clubs' concerns in his contributions to the FAI's a.g.m..

July 8th: At the a.g.m., O'Byrne makes a dramatic appeal to the grassroots of the organisation not to squander an "historic opportunity" to build the association a home of its own. The speech prompts a positive response from representatives of many of the leagues and associations, but is described as "deeply divisive" by National League officials.

July 26th: A document distributed as a result of commitments given at the a.g.m. fails to address growing concerns regarding the estimated construction costs of the stadium.

August 2nd: Menton resigns from the board of Centime Ltd, the company established by the FAI to handle the development of Eircom Park.

September 10th: South Dublin County Council grants planning permission, subject to 40 conditions, but sidesteps the issue of the Department of Defence's objections by calling for an independent safety report.

October 15th: The FAI is one of three parties to appeal the planning permission. It does so on the basis of the costly conditions. The Department of Defence and local residents also lodge appeals with An Bord Pleanala.

November 10th: Menton threatens legal action against the association over his continued inability to access information.

December 9th: Figures released to the board of management support long-standing claims by the scheme's critics that IMG had been overestimating the number of guaranteed box and seat sales. As it turns out, 21 rather than 54 box sales had been secured, with 1,400 rather than 3,100 10-year seats. The advance revenue generated is in excess of £10 million less than had been claimed.

2001

Jan 17th: having seen the new business plan, which includes revised costings, O'Byrne insists that the Eircom Park project is "stronger now than it has ever been".

Jan 22nd: The new business plan is unveiled, revealing the latest costings at £130 million with £109 million of this going on construction. The level of anticipated debt is now estimated at £57 million. It is clear outside investors have to be found. Davy Hickey Properties (DHP), owners of the stadium site as well as the rest of the Citywest business park, appear to be the only interested party.

Feb 5th: After negotiations with DHP, representatives of the association report back on the finance deal that has been offered. It involves substantial payments from future profits, advance sales and even television revenue.

Feb 9th: O'Byrne and his supporters bow to mounting pressure to meet the Government. The chief executive claims afterwards that he supports the move because of the timing. "You have to know when you are holding the strongest hand," he says.

Feb 23rd: The first meeting between the Government and FAI takes place. Ahern, Charlie McCreevy and McDaid broadly outline the offer on the table.

March 6th: At the second meeting the Government put forward the details of their proposal. It includes grants of £45 million over three years and a commitment of extensive support for development programmes at all levels of the game.

March 9th: At meetings of the board of management and national council at Dublin's Green Isle Hotel, the FAI opt to row in with the Government. Eircom Park is dead.