Construction of the long-promised indoor velodrome for Ireland could start within a year on the Abbottstown sports campus in west Dublin, the Government has said.
While there have been many promises and false dawns for the project, especially over the last decade, Minister of State for Sport Jack Chambers TD (FF) has now put a closer timeline on construction commencing than has been mentioned for a long time.
However, Chambers also said the possible start date in the final quarter of next year depended on the funding and planning permission being in place. He added the new 'National Velodrome and Badminton Centre' was "currently at the preliminary business case stage" adding a planning application for the project was lodged with Fingal County Council by Sport Ireland in August.
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"Sport Ireland has completed a new masterplan for the future development of the campus," he said in reply to a Dáil question from Marc Ó Cathasaigh TD (Greens). "The masterplan will provide the framework for the development of facilities at the Campus over the next 10 to 15 years and will identify key high level projects for delivery.
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"Minister Catherine Martin and I will shortly be bringing the masterplan to Government for approval and my department will be engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to funding to progress high level projects, with a specific near term focus on the National Velodrome and Badminton Centre.
"Capital funding of €9.6 million is being allocated in 2023 to continue the development of the Sport Ireland Campus in Blanchardstown. This will allow Sport Ireland to progress preparatory work on the National Velodrome and Badminton Centre project.
"Subject to securing planning permission and the availability of funding, it is expected that construction on the project could commence in quarter three of 2023."
