The initial estimated cost of hosting the Tour de France in Ireland is up to €30 million but that was provisional and may climb higher as plans evolve, including the full logistical challenges of getting the race to and from Ireland and the race route.
While Ireland last week formally expressed its interest in hosting the race, a detailed proposal will be worked on until the middle of next year. At that point, according to the Government in the Republic, the formal submission of the finalised bid will be made for Le Grand Départ of the Tour to take place in Ireland in 2026 or 2027.
Minister of State for Sports Jack Chambers TD said the Tour was one of the "biggest and most prestigious" events in the world. It held "huge potential for Ireland" if the race was secured in a planned joint bid between the Republic and Northern Ireland.
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He said a "project team" would now be assembled, including people from government and agencies on both sides of the Border, with some "scoping work" already done on that part of the process.
"We see the projected costs at between €20 million and €30 million, which would be shared north and south, that's the current indication of potential cost but we are at an early stage of the bid development process," he said. "We will have to scope out the route, the logistics, the organisational planning, but that's the projected costs presently."
Speaking in Newstalk's 'Hard Shoulder' show, Chambers was asked about the 1998 Tour start in Ireland, which descended into the biggest drugs controversy to ever hit the sport at that time after the Festina team was caught with a car filled with drugs on its way to catch the ferry to Ireland.
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"I know there were issues in 1998 but obviously this is something that… every second year there is an opportunity, obviously when the Tour moves out of France for the start of the race, and I think, you know, cycling has had difficulties in the past that people are well aware of, but this is a huge opportunity for the island of Ireland."
When pushed by host Kieran Cuddihy about whether the doping issue was in cycling's past, Chambers countered by saying Ireland was one of the "strong voices" in the international doping community, pushing for anti doping to be strengthened internationally.
Back in 1998 the drugs controversy simmered for a few days while the race was in Ireland and did not truly exploded until the Tour arrived back on French soil. However, the Grand Depart in Ireland in 1998 is very often mentioned in the context of that major doping scandal.
While the future Tours were then billed as clean - by the Tour organisers - the year after the controversy-hit Irish start Lance Armstrong won the first of his seven Tours, which he has since been stripped of for doping.
Chambers said he had "many fond memories" of the Tour's Irish start in 1998 and the Giro d'Italia's visit to Ireland in 2014.
"This represents a brilliant opportunity from a north-south perspective… and the share island approach and having that collaboration north and south. Sport is one of those areas that can build bridges and there is a huge potential from a tourism perspective in showcasing our country."
He said participation in cycling was high at present, adding encouraging participation in all sports was a priority for the government. He said he was "excited" about now submitting the expression of interest from the island of Ireland to the Tour organisers.
