GAA needs to consider ‘strategic need’ on its Casement Park plans, says DUP minister

The GAA needs to consider its “strategic need” around the redevelopment of Casement Park in the face of the project’s ongoing funding gap, the North's sports minister has said.

Gordon Lyons said the Executive was also still awaiting clarification from the UK government on the terms of the £50 million (€58 million) financial contribution to the rebuild of the west Belfast Gaelic games venue that was announced last month.

The British government has said the money will be offered as an equity stake and will not have to be repaid.

Plans for a £270 million, 34,000-capacity stadium have been mired in uncertainty because of a major funding shortfall.

The £50 million provided by the British government has not bridged that gap, which remains at an estimated £100 million if the redevelopment was to proceed as currently envisaged by the GAA.

Stormont ministers committed £62.5 million to Casement in 2011, as part of a strategy to revamp it along with 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 for several years because of legal challenges by local residents.

The estimated build cost spiralled in the interim. While planning permission has since been secured, the money committed to the rebuild is not currently enough to deliver it.

As well as the Stormont contribution of £62.5 million and the UK government’s £50 million, the Irish Government has offered roughly £42 million and the GAA has pledged to contribute at least £15 million.

Mr Lyons was asked how he intended to progress the project as he faced questions from members of his Assembly scrutiny committee at Stormont on Thursday.

“The first thing that we need, and what we