COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Thursday, September 15, 2016

QUESTION NO. 21

QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor

"To ask the Chief Executive to confirm his current plans for Tallaght Stadium and to indicate the timetable now being followed in the design and construction of the additional Stand being planned and in reporting will he confirm, for the benefit of all who are involved in the Stadium, that the current plans will involve the construction of a new Stand at the southern end of the grounds as previously reported and that this Stand will wrap into the two existing Stands creating a horse-shoe effect and in conjunction with this will he also confirm that these works will ensure that Tallaght Stadium conforms with EUFA regulations and also details his current plans for further ancillary uses for our Stadium?"

REPLY: 

WORK IS ALREADY UNDERWAY ON THE DESIGN OF THE PROPOSED THIRD STAND FOR TALLAGHT STADIUM.  PART 8 CONSULTATION PROCESS WILL COMMENCE BEFORE YEAR END AS WILL EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST PROCESS FOR CONTRACTORS.  WORK WILL COMMENCE IN 2017 WITH ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE IN EARLY 2018.  THE SCHEME WILL SIT TO THE SOUTHERN END OF THE STADIUM AS PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED BUT IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO FORM A CLOSED HORSE-SHOE ARRANGEMENT AS THE SECTIONAL PROFILES OF THE EAST AND WEST STAND ARE NOT IDENTICAL AS BOTH HAVE DIFFERENT ROOF STRUCTURES AND COVERINGS.  WORKS TO THE SOUTHERN END OF EACH STAND WOULD ALSO REQUIRE THE CLOSURE OF BOTH STANDS AND THE STADIUM FOR A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE BUILD PROGRAMME EFFECTIVELY CLOSING THE STADIUM FOR ALMOST A FULL YEAR.  THE SCHEME NOW UNDER DESIGN WILL BE A SEPARATE STAND AND WILL NOT IMPACT ON THE USE OF THE STADIUM NOR REQUIRE POSTPONEMENT OF GAMES.  THE STADIUM WILL REMAIN OPEN DURING THE WORKS AS A RESULT.

THE STADIUM ALREADY COMPLIES WITH UEFA REGULATIONS.  WITH ADDITIONAL SEATING BRINGING THE STADIUM CAPACITY TO 8,000 SPECTATORS THIS WILL POTENTIALLY BRING TALLAGHT WITHIN UEFA 4 CATEGORY( EUROPA LEAGUE STANDARD).  COMPLIANCE WITH UEFA STANDARDS WILL DEPEND ON CHANGES TO THOSE STANDARDS AND COST IMPLICATIONS FOR THE STADIUM AND ITS VIABILITY.  IT IS INTENDED TO PURSUE UEFA 4 APPROVAL SUBJECT TO ABOVE.