The Government may approve funding to build the new Dublin indoor velodrome as early as today, Wesnesday. Minister for Communications, Culture and Sport Patrick O'Donovan is to seek almost €100 million for the project.
He is bringing the funding proposal to the weekly Cabinet meeting, where his Government colleagues will either or approve or reject the proposal.
Usually when a project is brought by a Minister to Cabinet for approval, it is for final rubberstamp for projects, or measures, which already have firm Government support.
The development means the funding for the velodrome could be approved today, with a formal statement confirming the funding to follow almost immediately.
In July, stickybottle reported the tender evaluation process for the new velodrome in west Dublin was complete and that the Government was considering the business case towards funding the project.
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The fact the process had moved beyond evaluating tenders to build the shared cycling and badminton facility was a significant milestone and cames 2½ years after planning permission was awarded by Fingal County Council.
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In an update on the project in July, the Government set out progress as well as the likely timetable for final funding, construction and completion. That update came almost a year after ministerial approval was announced for the project to proceed to tender.
“The tender evaluation process was completed in recent weeks and Sport Ireland submitted a final business case to my Department,” Minister O’Donovan said at the time in reply to a Dáil question from Sinn Féin’s Paul Donnelly TD, in whose Dublin West constituency the facility will be built.
“(The business case) is currently being examined to ensure compliance with the Infrastructure Guidelines and the Capital Works Management Framework. Subject to the findings and recommendations of my Department, I will consider the final business case.
“And I hope to confirm the overall budget allocation for the National Velodrome and Badminton Centre later this year. It is anticipated that construction will begin before end-2025 with a likely completion date of mid-2027.”
The National Velodrome and Badminton Centre will be built on the National Sports Campus on Abbotstown, west Dublin, and will include the 250 cycling track as well as up to 12 badminton courts in the in-track area, in addition to spectator seating and ancillary facilities.
In early 2023 a ‘key dates summary’ drawn up by Sport Ireland for the velodrome-badminton centre envisaged the works contract being awarded in July of that year – exactly two years ago now. ‘Practical completion’ was projected by March 2025 and the handover of the facility was predicted for May 2025.
However, those delays aside, if funding was approved today, it would be a huge boost for Irish cycling and the start proper of a very exciting chapter for the sport on the island of Ireland.
