Membership of the board of directors to oversee the development of Sports Campus Ireland and Stadium Ireland is in line with the Taoiseach's determination to blend sporting expertise with business acumen.

The 11 person Board, chaired by Paddy Teahon, secretary-general of the Taoiseach's department, held its first meeting in Dublin yesterday morning and pledged itself to the task of delivering the project on schedule by 2005.

Among those who will bring specialist qualities to the project are Sean Donnelly, senior residential engineer of Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown Co Council, Lucy Gaffney, chief operating officer of Esat Telecom, John Mulcahy, director of the property company Jones Lang Lesalle, Michael Walsh, director of International Investment and Underwriting Ltd, and the well known solicitor, John Power.

Their brief will be to complement the experience of such distinguished sporting names as Liam Mulvihill, Tom Kiernan, John Treacy and the director of Special Olympics Ireland, Mary Davis.

Both Mulvihill and Kiernan served on the original steering committee set up to examine the feasibility of the project but another member of that committee, Bernard O'Byrne, the FAI's chief executive, is a significant omission from the board.

When Mr Ahern outlined the Government's commitment to build a national stadium complex on January 26th, he intimated that there would be a seat on the board for the FAI if they decided to come on board.

Since then, of course, the football organisation has restated its intention to build its own stadium, Eircom Park, and given that it was never likely that O'Byrne would be asked to serve on the board.

Bill Attley, the FAI's chief referees assessor who sits on the association's board of management, will still ensure a football presence on the Abbotstown board but the Taoiseach, it seems, has still not given up on the challenge of convincing Merrion Square to throw their weight behind the National Stadium.

Addressing yesterday's inaugural meeting, the Taoiseach said it was his wish that the company would enter into agreements with a wide range of sporting bodies for the long-term use of the facilities. He also stressed the need for full consultation with the local community at every stage.

Emphasising the importance of positive leadership from the board, he said: "You face an enormous task if the project is to be completed in time. We are also asking you to undertake the job of ensuring that this important national facility is fully utilised and that the necessary marketing and promotion plans are put in place."

As anticipated, the first phase of the work will be the construction of an aquatic centre, featuring a 50 metre swimming pool. The time constraint is tight for the projection is to have it finished in time to host the Special Olympics in 2003.

The reality is, however, that the timeframe is more cramped still, for to host the Special Olympics swimming championships they will be required to test the facility at a gala, late in 2002 or early the following year.

Even now, experts believe the contractors may struggle to meet that deadline and a decision on the viability of the timeframe is expected to be taken by the board within two months.

Funds will not be a problem, however, for speaking at yesterday's meeting, the Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevey, said that moves had already been made for the appointment of architectural, engineering and quantity surveying services to facilitate the move of the Agricultural Institute Laboratories from Abbotstown to Leixlip.

"The Government has fully committed itself to this project," he said, "and the necessary resources are available to ensure there will be no delays."

The meeting was also attended by the Minister for Sport, Jim McDaid, who said that he considered the building of the complex as a vital part of the infrastructure for promoting excellence in competition and participation in sport.