Taoiseach Simon Harris has pledged to meet the GAA in the coming week over the future of Casement Park in Belfast.
The UK government confirmed on Friday night it will not fund the redevelopment of the derelict GAA stadium in time for the Euro 2028 football tournament due to “a significant risk that it would not be built in time”. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn and culture secretary Lisa Nandy announced the decision in a joint letter to Communities Minister Gordon Lyons.
The west Belfast ground had been earmarked to host five matches in the tournament, which is being jointly hosted by the UK and Ireland.
Mr Harris said that announcement “has been met with understandable disappointment”.
His remarks come as GAA president Jarlath Burns said that a UK government figure of more than £400 million (€473 million) to rebuild Casement Park to Uefa specifications does “not align” with the total obtained by the GAA.
Stormont’s Finance Minister, Caoimhe Archibald, has also said she will be seeking clarification, stating it is not a figure she had been aware of.
The Irish Government, under the Shared Island initiative, and the GAA had said they would contribute to the redevelopment, but delays and spiralling costs created a funding gap.
“I share the disappointment that Euro 2028 games will not be played at a redeveloped Casement, but we must not lose sight of the opportunity to have another top-class sporting facility in a city that thrives on sport,” said Mr Harris.
“I will meet with the GAA in the coming week, and I have already confirmed to Prime Minister Starmer that the €50 million the Irish Government pledged to the project will remain in place, regardless of the decision around Euro 2028.
“How to proceed is a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive and the British government, and I will engage with the First and deputy First Ministers on how we can help.”
Mr Burns was asked about the £400 million figure during an appearance on the BBC’s Sunday Politics programme.
He said: “Those figures don’t align with the figures that we have had. The Ulster GAA have been working very closely with a consultant team of stadia experts for the last 10 years. They were coming in with a completely different set of figures.”
Mr Burns indicated the figure obtained by the GAA was around £100 million less than that suggested by the UK government.
He said the announcement by the UK government was not a surprise to him.
He said: “To be honest we have known about this for some months. I’ve been pessimistic about it, I made that very clear back in May.
“Once March came, it was really the second week of March that the tender documents were ready. We could not understand why they weren’t issued because there was urgency right from the word go.
“When we were approached last year to see if we would be willing to allow Casement to be used as one of the main stadia for Euro 2028, we were excited, the IFA was very excited by it, there was a wonderful opportunity for all of Northern Ireland to come together on a major project to see if we could do this.
“Unfortunately we have failed and now for the GAA the priority for us is to build Casement, and that is what we are going to put all of our energy into.”
Mr Burns said he had received a personal commitment from First Minister Michelle O’Neill that money would be found to rebuild Casement Park.
He said: “All we are asking the British government now is tell us how much so we can build our stadium.”
Justin McNulty, also a former All-Ireland winner with Armagh and SDLP MLA, said that those responsible for the failure to ensure Casement Park will be rebuilt for Euro 2028 “should hang their heads in shame”.
Mr Benn and Ms Nandy said the cost of building Casement Park had risen “dramatically” from when the Euro 2028 bid was awarded in October 2023 and now – from £180 million (€213 million) to potentially above £400 million (€474 million).
They said the risk of the GAA stadium refurbishments not being completed in time was partly due to a lack of building progress made during that time period.
The ministers also said that they were constrained by a Uefa requirement for all stadia to be ready a year before the tournament starts for “essential test events”.
Mr McNulty added: “Casement Park is more than a stadium, it’s the heart of the GAA in Ulster and it has lain dormant for far too long.
“Construction must begin at Casement as soon as possible so that we can look forward to Ulster finals, community events and all the other benefits a stadium like this will bring.”
Northern Ireland’s First Minister described the decision as “deeply disappointing” and represented a “missed opportunity for sport and our economy”.
However, Ms O’Neill insisted the Executive was still committed to rebuilding Casement Park. – PA
