The Stormont Minister responsible for allocating funding to Casement Park’s redevelopment has played down reports of a “tetchy” meeting with GAA president Jarlath Burns – but called on the association to stump up more money for the project.
DUP Communities Minister Gordon Lyons made the remarks on Wednesday while insisting that any additional public spend on the west Belfast stadium would have to be signed off by the Northern Ireland Executive and balanced against current demands.
He also defended his position in not attending any GAA matches since coming into office – the communities portfolio takes in sports – nine months ago.
“I have no objection whatsoever in attending a GAA match. I think the records show that I’ve been invited on two dates which didn’t suit me.”
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Earlier on Wednesday, it was reported the projected cost of transforming Casement had dropped to £270m.
The site has lain derelict for over a decade and was chosen a host venue for the Uefa Euro 2028 soccer tournament.
Despite initial preparation work, plans for the rebuild were shelved in September when the UK government said it could not afford to contribute to spiralling costs (the bill was estimated to be high as £400m) to have a new 34,000 capacity stadium ready in time.
Pledges were made by the Irish Government to commit £42 million towards Casement, regardless of whether it was built for the Euros.
Stormont ministers agreed funding of £62.5 million for the project in 2011, as part of a sports strategy to revamp Belfast’s Windsor Park soccer ground and the rugby ground at Ravenhill in the south of the city.
But Mr Lyons said the GAA needs to “look again” at its original contribution of £15 million towards Casement.
“I think it is reasonable for that to be looked at,” he told the BBC.
“If there is an additional contribution being looked from elsewhere, if the GAA are looking for a stadium that will require more than the resource that is currently there, I think it is right that additional resource comes from the GAA also.”
Asked to comment on a “fraught and tetchy” meeting himself and GAA president Jarlath Burns on the £150m funding shortfall and stalled rebuild, Mr Lyons insisted they had a “good conversation”.
“There was a good exchange of opinions and views,” he said.
“I think that there has been frustration, that’s obvious and I think everybody has been frustrated about how long this has gone on.”
He added that he had attended a “GAA event” since becoming minister and would be “more than happy” to go to a match.
In a statement to The Irish Times, Ulster GAA indicated it may be open to providing further funding.
While it would be not drawn on projected costs, the bill for the provincial stadium will be “significantly lower than the costs required to build a stadium to Uefa specification”.
“Having directly negotiated partnership funding of €50m with the Irish Government, in addition to our long-standing commitment of £15m, we will work constructively with all partners to agree the funding required for the project,” it said.
Acknowledging public funding pressures, Ulster GAA said it will continue to work with the Department for Communities and all partners to “ensure our provincial stadium is delivered in an efficient way”.
An urgent meeting has been sought with Northen Secretary Hilary Benn.
On Tuesday, Mr Benn told a Westminster committee that he was not in a position to say if the UK government would make a financial contribution towards Casement.
However, he added that “it’s important that Casement Park is built” in the interests of “respecting all of the sporting traditions in Northern Ireland”.
Ulster GAA said it looked forward to discussing the project plan with Mr Benn following the “commitments” given by him and the former Conservative UK government that a stadium would be delivered.
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