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FAI secures €500,000 legacy pa...

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FAI secures €500,000 legacy payment from UEFA to fund Dalymount


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The redevelopment of Dalymount Park has received a €500,000 boost courtesy of UEFA.

The FAI has secured the money from European football's governing body as a EURO 2020 Legacy Project.

The money had first been spoken about by then FAI chief executive John Delaney in 2014 when Dublin was named as a co-host for the European Championships.

Speaking at the time, Delaney said, "It’s been a dream of mine for many, many years and I think out of any hosting of a major tournament, there should be a legacy.

“Dalymount Park, the soul of Irish football, being redeveloped and kept in football is something that personally I’m hugely committed to."

On Friday, UEFA confirmed it was stripping Dublin of its four Euro 2020 matches. The four Group E games would instead go to St. Petersburg. While Wembley will host the last-16 game that was earmarked for the Aviva Stadium.

The money is a further boost to the long-overdue redevelopment of Dalymount Park.

In February, the government approved a draw-down of €918,750 worth of funds to Dublin City Council. Preliminary design work is due to begin soon, with the hope the new stadium will be home to Bohemians and Shelbourne by 2025.

Current FAI CEO Jonathan Hill said, "I am delighted to announce that UEFA has allocated a €500,000 investment for the FAI to make in the Dalymount Park project.

"When we won the EURO 2020 bid in partnership with Dublin City Council and the Government seven years ago a fitting legacy project was key and of course a new Dalymount Park, such an iconic Irish football venue, was the chosen project and a fitting one.

“We will now invest this €500,000 into the project to build a new Dalymount Park and I know this announcement will be welcomed by Bohemians and Shelbourne football clubs, by Dublin City Council and by Ministers Catherine Martin and Jack Chambers and by Government.

“As we enter the centenary year of the FAI this is a great boost to the plans to build a world class facility for football on our of our most inspirational sites in North Dublin.

"I have shared this news with all involved and we thank UEFA for this very significant support for a milestone project.

"The working relationship with UEFA since Dublin first won the EURO 2020 hosting bid seven years ago has been exemplary and this commitment by them to the Dalymount Park project is indicative of that bond. I look forward to the project commencing.”

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Dalymount Dalymount Park Euro 2020 FAI John Delaney Jonathan Hill UEFA

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