Casement Park: GAA confident additional funding will be found

Work began at Casement Park this week

The GAA has said it is confident that the overall funding will be found to rebuild Casement Park stadium in time for the Euro 2028 soccer tournament. 

Stephen McGeehan, Ulster GAA's head of operations, welcomed the Irish government's pledge of €50m.

At the same time, he indicated the GAA was unlikely to increase the £15m it promised to contribute to the project a decade ago.

Mr McGeehan said "there isn't much scope" for a further contribution.

The stadium will be primarily for GAA games but it is due to host a number of soccer matches in the Euro 2028 tournament.

A DUP MP, Jim Shannon, said earlier he believed the overall cost of the redevelopment would be £220m - almost three times the original price.

The stadium in west Belfast has been derelict for more than a decade

'Momentum is building'

Mr McGeehan said it would be "irresponsible" and "unwise" for the GAA to speculate about the overall cost at this stage.

However, he expressed confidence that the necessary funding could be found.

He told BBC News NI: "After a period of uncertainty, it is clear momentum is building. Work has started.

"The Irish government has confirmed its funding and now it's very much over to the UK Treasury, it's over to the (Stormont) Executive to see what the final contributions are going to be.

"But from a GAA perspective, we are now confident that Casement Park will be delivered on time for the Euros."

Stephen McGeehan, Ulster GAA's head of operations, welcomed the Irish government's pledge of €50m

Preparation work began this week for the planned redevelopment. Steps are being taken to try to ensure construction can begin immediately, if the money is secured.

The redevelopment must be completed by mid-2027 to meet a deadline set by the European football governing body Uefa.

Officials from Uefa will be in Belfast soon to check on progress.

Casement Park is one of 10 venues in the UK and Ireland chosen to host matches in the international tournament.

In a letter to residents who live beside the site on Andersonstown Road in west Belfast, the GAA outlined the preparatory work due to take place in the coming months:

• February to March: maintenance and pre-enabling works

• April to June: site clearance

The initial cost of the stadium - £77.5m - has escalated in the past decade, and there is no clarity yet on how the extra money is going to be found.

The redevelopment is being overseen by the Department for Communities at Stormont.