Jarlath Burns' comments on Casement Park funding 'scandalous' says TUV councillor

Belfast councillor Ron McDowell was commenting in response to a claim by GAA president Jarlath Burns that the millions of pounds required for the project should come from Westminster.

"It is an absolute scandal. When you have clubs, associations and different organisations struggling for money during this time of austerity, and here we have again the GAA, that seems to have direct access to the Treasury. It’s not fair,” he said.

DUP MP Jim Shannon has suggested that the overall cost of rebuilding the west Belfast stadium has risen from £77.5m to £220m, while Westminster sources have indicated that could now be as much as £300m.

Casement Park is one of ten venues across the UK and Ireland approved to host the Euro 2028 tournament.

In a BBC Talkback interview on Wednesday, Mr Burns said the money from Westminster could not be classed as “recompense” for hurt inflicted on the GAA community, as the government had “never apologised” for the Black and Tans killing 14 people at Croke Park in November 1920.

Mr Burns also referred to a number of recent inquests where state agents were said to have been involved in the loyalist murders of GAA officials, and suggested that by paying for Casement the government could improve relations.

Responding to the GAA president’s remarks, Cllr McDowell said: "That was a scandalous statement. The GAA still is a political organisation and, as a political organisation, it is not inclusive.

"So that is not a sporting ground that is open for everybody. It’s going to be for a particular section of the community who sign up to a constitution of the dismantling of the United Kingdom.

"It is still going to line the coffers of the GAA, and only the GAA. They are going to be the only benefactors of this.

"This is a stadium that was supposed to be built as a legacy for a football tournament, and yet there is no legacy for football.”

Cllr McDowell added: "This is meant to be for the Euros. In every major sporting occasion across the world when they come up, be it golf, be it football, the World Cup or the Masters, will have a legacy for grass roots development of that sport – except for the Euros in Northern Ireland which is going to have a legacy for the GAA”.