January 1999: The FAI announces details of a planned £65 million stadium in Citywest, west of Dublin, later agreeing a sponsorship deal with Eircom.
January 2000: The Government announces its plans for "Campus Stadium Ireland", an 80,000-seater stadium to be built at Abbostown in north-west Dublin as part of a planned sports campus.
December 2000: Doubts grow about the viability of Eircom Park, with advance revenue from seat sales less than expected.
March 2001: After lenghty talks the FAI agrees to abandon Eircom Park and row in with the Government's stadium.
April 2001: The GAA receives news of a £60 million government grant towards redeveloping Croke Park on the eve of the association's annual meeting. The meeting rejects a move to reform Rule 42, which would have opened up Croke Park to other sports.
May 2001: The Government commissions an independent review into all aspects of Stadium Ireland.
December 2001: The Government postpones a decision on whether to proceed amid continuing differences between the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the Tánaiste, Ms Harney.
February 2002: The full details of the independent consultants' report into Campus Stadium Ireland are revealed, estimating an Exchequer cost of almost €900 million.
July 2002: The Programme for Government commits the coalition partners to a "world class stadium", but there is no agreement on the details.
September 2002: The Government announces that no State funding will be made available.