Build Casement Park in time for Euro 2028 say unionists... but not at any price

The costs for the rebuilding project have spiralled upwards in recent years, and the UUP said it is “inconceivable to expect the public purse to cover the additional cost”, now estimated to be somewhere around £150m – double the original estimate.

The GAA said on Thursday that, despite this huge increase in the cost, it is only prepared to contribute £15m.

Casement Park now lies derelict, but a revamped version of the venue forms part of a joint Ireland/UK bid to host the 2028 Euros football tournament.

In 2011/12 the Stormont Executive endorsed a funding package of up to £110m for the redevelopment of Casement, Windsor Park, and Ravenhill.

The upgrades to Windsor Park and Ravenhill have been completed.

A statement seen by the PA news agency this week shows that all five of Stormont’s Executive parties supported the proposal to have Casement host the Euros.

That statement, submitted as part of the bid process, said the “party leaders fully support the historic and world class partnership bid to host the greatest ever UEFA European Football Championship in these islands".

It added that the vision is for “a world class, state of the art stadium”.

In a statement issued on Friday afternoon, the UUP said it stands by the idea of using public money to rebuild the stadium – but at the original planned level.

It said: “The Executive in 2011/12 endorsed a funding package of up to £110m over four years for the redevelopment of Casement Park, Windsor Park, and Ravenhill Stadium in conjunction with the IFA, Ulster Rugby, and the GAA.

“The stadium redevelopment of both Windsor Park and Ravenhill have been completed within their intended budget, leaving only Casement Park, which has been blighted by avoidable planning challenges, to be completed.

"The overall budget to be provided by the Northern Ireland Executive was £62.5, however, it is estimated the overall cost will be significantly more than £100m.”

The UUP said it stands by the original funding plan for Casement, but “it is inconceivable to expect the public purse to cover the additional cost” which has since built up, “especially against the backdrop of significant budgetary pressures”.

Meanwhile DUP sport spokesman Stephen Dunne has said “we do not support additional funding for the building of Casement Park in Belfast beyond what was originally allocated by the NI Executive to the three sporting bodies”.

He added: “Whilst we support the joint Euro 2028 bid, we would be greatly concerned if Treasury was to unilaterally allocate additional resources to meet the GAA’s shortfall in the Casement Park project at a time when other vital public services are in need of additional and necessary resources.”