“Casement Park will be built” - GAA seeks urgent meeting with UK Government over funding shortfall
The GAA is to seek an urgent meeting with the UK government following Friday’s announcement that funding will not be provided for Casement Park in time for the stadium to host games at Euro 2028.
In a letter to NI Minister for Communities Gordon Lyons , the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn and Secretary of State for Culture and Sport Lisa Nandy said there was a risk that Casement would not be delivered in time for the Euros.
The letter also claimed that the cost to rebuild Casement had “risen dramatically” from £180m last October to “potentially over £400m” with UEFA deadlines also meaning the stadium would need to be completed one year before the tournament starts.
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The joint statement also hit out at a lack of progress at the site, something which has been rejected by the GAA in their own statement on Saturday afternoon.
The association has also reiterated their commitment to the project and hit out a “missed opportunity” for the city of Belfast.
“Confirmation that Belfast will not be hosting the UEFA EURO 2028 Championships is a missed opportunity and it is one that our entire society will look back on with considerable regret,” the statement read.
“Ulster GAA has taken every possible step to keep the project on track for the UEFA Euro 2028 Football Championships. This included investing over £4m in critical aspects of pre-enabling works in anticipation of the procurement of the new main contractor.
“On his appointment to office the Secretary of State Hilary Benn, on behalf of the British Government, gave firm commitments that Casement Park will be built, a commitment also given by his predecessor. We have sought an urgent meeting with him to agree next steps.
"Casement Park will be built, and we will work with all partners to ensure that the promises made by the NI Executive over 13 years ago and within successive Programmes for Government, to deliver on the strategic stadia need of the GAA in the province and in Belfast, Ireland’s second city, are fulfilled.
"As we continue to work towards the delivery of the new Casement Park, which will host Gaelic Games at all levels, and be a community hub for West Belfast, we would like to thank Gaels throughout Antrim, Ulster and Ireland for their patience, commitment and unwavering support for the project over many years.”
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