Fingal County Council has granted permission to the National Sports Campus Development Authority (NSCDA) to proceed.

But the authority chief executive, Barry O'Brien, has admitted there is a doubt over whether Government money for the sprawling development is still available.

Fingal has given permission for the project the same week as An Bord Snip Nua, the body charged with making cuts for the Irish Government, recommended funding for the development be scrapped.

The Government had originally postponed the project last December because of lack of money.

The proposed facility is to be built on a 220-acre site in Abbotstown, North Dublin, where former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern had wanted to locate a 70,000-seater stadium.

The world-class sports hub would contain facilities for rugby, soccer and GAA pitches.

The plans also make provision for parklands, lakes, picnic areas and cycling tracks as well as buildings to house the FAI, the Irish Institute of Sport and a multi-purpose sports centre.

O'Brien said: "It's a moot point [whether funding is available] at the moment, as you can imagine.

"Funding was in place in the National Development Plan [NDP] for the completion of this project.

"The extent to which the Government is proceeding with the NDP needs to be ascertained."

The NSCDA has requested a meeting with Sports Minister Martin Cullen to determine if the funding will be available.

O'Brien said there were no plans for proceeding with a stadium at the site, though there was a section earmarked for future development.

He said: "But it's fair to say the priority is that for which we have planned [the sports campus].

"This is a fantastic planning permission - it's a fantastic scheme.

"It has the support of all the major sporting bodies."

The NSCDA was set up in January 2007, in order to deliver the project for which the Government had already allocated funding under the NDP.

If it eventually goes ahead, the campus will be located beside the National Aquatic Centre, which had 750,000 visitors last year.

The NSCDA will have to wait to see if Fingal's decision is appealed to An Bord Pleanala before securing final planning permission.