Casement Park: New GAA president against more funding

Jarlath Burns became the GAA's president on Saturday

The new GAA president has said he does not support the GAA investing more money into the redevelopment of Casement Park.

The Irish government has allocated €50m (£42.8m) for the stadium in west Belfast, while the GAA said its limit of contribution is £15m.

The stadium has been listed to host games at soccer's Euro 2028.

Jarlath Burns said the UK government should be providing the rest of the money needed to rebuild the stadium.

The original cost of the Casement Park redevelopment was £77.5m a decade ago.

In an interview earlier this month with BBC News NI, it was put to the Communities Minister Gordon Lyons that the stadium cost could now exceed £200m.

He said the number was not finalised, but if it was "for commercial reasons I can't go into the details of what that might be".

An artist's impression of the proposed stadium which would have a capacity of 34,500

Mr Burns told Good Morning Ulster he would be voting against any suggestion that his organisation should provide more cash.

"We (the GAA) are not found wanting when it comes to spending money throughout the country but on this particular issue for me it is a point of principle.

"We have pledged £15m in the programme for government for the last 12 years there is a very strong commitment that Casement Park and it should be delivered."

The focus now switches from the GAA to the UK Government over funding for Casement Park.

The other stakeholders have all now publicly declared how much they are willing to pay:

• GAA £15m

• Irish Government £42.8m

• Stormont Executive £62.5m

The London government has indicated it is willing to make a contribution but has never put a figure on it.

Although Stormont and the GAA will come under pressure to pay more - perhaps, much more - attention is now on London to see if ministers there are prepared to write a large cheque.

Mr Burns said Ulster GAA received a commitment for the Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris last May.

At the time, Mr Heaton-Harris said: "We'll get the money, don't you worry."

He added "all partners" would secure the funding and asked how much the UK would contribute if the Euro 2026 bid was successful, he said: "Once we win the bid, we'll sit down round a table and the money will get sorted out."

On Monday, Mr Burns said: "The government should be committing to whatever the rest of it costs based on the stadium specifications, it should be paid now that we have been so successful in getting the (Euro) games."

• Burns 'understands' concerns about Casement funding

• A5 road and Casement Park get share of €800m Dublin funding - BBC News

He added: "It is not our fault that the Maze stadium was not built and we should not be penalised for that."

There had previously been proposals for a multi-sports stadium at the site of the former Maze Prison, outside Lisburn, which were scrapped.

Casement Park will be primarily for GAA games, with current plans for the stadium to have a 34,500-capacity.

Mr Burns said that it was "unfair to ask the GAA to come up with more money".

"The GAA is not a profit making organisation," he said.

"When you go into small villages or town all across Ireland and all you see is a school and a pub and a massive GAA complex, that hasn't happened by accident."