Failure to rebuild Casement Park ‘not the fault of unionist ministers’

The failure to redevelop Casement Park is not the fault of unionist ministers, Gordon Lyons has told MLAs.

The DUP Communities Minister called for “realism” around the project, stating it could be progressed only if there was additional funding or a “more modest” proposal to rebuild the west Belfast GAA stadium.

The Stormont Executive committed to redevelop Casement Park in 2011, as part of a strategy to revamp football’s Windsor Park and the rugby ground at Ravenhill.

While the two other Belfast-based projects went ahead, the redevelopment of Casement was delayed because of legal challenges by local residents.

In September, the UK Government ended hopes that the west Belfast venue would host Euro 2028 games when it said it would not bridge a funding gap to deliver the redevelopment in time.

It said the risk to the public purse of missing the tournament deadline was too high and expressed concerns about how the cost of the project had potentially risen to more than £400 million (€474 million).

Mr Lyons was asked to update MLAs on Casement Park during ministerial question time at the Northern Ireland Assembly on Tuesday.

He told MLAs he had met GAA president Jarlath Burns and Ulster GAA in October and had asked Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn for an update on the Government’s view on the project.

Sinn Féin MLA Maoliosa McHugh asked what further meetings the minister was planning this year to discuss Casement Park.

Mr Lyons said: “Let me make something very clear when it comes to Casement Park, I have fulfilled the requirements that are upon me, I have met with the groups that are involved in this.

“The pledge that the Executive made in 2011 remains.

“It is worthwhile remembering that this has been a very long