The Government's proposal to build a national sports stadium in Abbotstown, west Dublin, was defended by the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation.

Dr McDaid said it represented a major milestone for sport in the State. "The Government is determined that our country will have a world-class facility providing the highest quality of services, right up to the best international levels for a wide variety of sports.

"A national stadium of the quality envisaged provided a new and improved opportunity for the best of Irish sport to pit themselves against all comers in an amphitheatre which will allow all to perform to the best of their ability before 80,000 enthusiastic supporters drawn from what I consider to be one of the most sports mad countries in the world."

He said the construction of the campus and stadium would involve capital expenditure of £281 million. Included in the overall investment was a gift of £50 million provided by businessman Mr J.P. McManus. Arrangements were being made to have a copy of the legal agreement between the State and Mr McManus placed in the Dail library.

Mr Joe Higgins (Socialist Party, Dublin West) said the Minister should read into the record of the House the agreement between the Government and Mr McManus. "At the moment, we can only speculate on its contents. Does it include a runway for Mr McManus's private aeroplane as he jets in from his tax exile in Switzerland?

"Sport is regarded as a way of raising the sights of youth to a healthy lifestyle and a better life. If this stadium is built, when the 80,000 spectators raise their eyes, they will see Mr McManus snugly ensconced beside the Taoiseach of the day."

The Fine Gael spokesman on tourism, sport and recreation, Mr Bernard Allen, said the decision to build the stadium came at a time of enormous demand from sporting organisations, community groups and clubs at national, regional and local level right throughout the State for capital grant-aid towards their projects.

There were about 2,000 applications in the Minister's Department requesting grants for sports projects valued at more than £600 million. There was also a serious situation where fewer than half of the State's schools had sports halls.

The Labour spokesman on sport, Mr Brian O'Shea, said his party recognised the need for a national stadium but was concerned there could be three under-utilised Dublin stadiums.