The Irish government has decided not to part-finance Stadium Ireland, the proposed new stadium for the outskirts of Dublin.

The government said it was not in the position to provide any exchequer funding in the medium term because of deteriorating national finances and is now seeking private sector investment to secure an estimated £315m for the project.

The 80,000-seat stadium was conceived three years ago as part of a wider sports campus at Abbotstown, which would also include an aquatic centre, a multi-purpose indoor arena, a velodrome, golf academy, tennis centre and sports science and medical facilities. To date only the aquatic centre has been developed which is due to open in December with a 50m pool, a diving pool and leisure waters in time for the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games.

The government has now reduced the size of the stadium to 65,00 seats and asked developers to submit expressions of interest by 18 October. The new stadium would need to be ready by June 2007 for the joint Ireland-Scotland bid to host the 2008 European football championships. Details: +353 (1)809 7300 or www.csid.ie