TUV concerns that Casement Park requires a 'bottomless pit' of public funds for completion

Following reports that the estimated cost of work on the stadium has increased by around £90m, the TUV’s Ron McDowell said it “nothing short of scandalous” that the sporting body’s share of the bill will be no more than the originally pledged £15m.It was reported this week that the Department for Communities (DfC), in conjunction with the GAA’s Ulster Council (UCGAA), had notified the market “of UCGAA’s proposal to modify their existing Casement contract”.

The document confirmed that the cost for “design, development and construction of the Casement Park Stadium new build for Ulster Council” will range between £112m and £140m – not including VAT,” according to a report in the Irish News.

In May the NI Secretary, Chris Heaton-Harris, said “don’t you worry, we’ll get the money,” when asked how the shortfall was being funded.

At the time, UUP MLA Andy Allen accused the UK Government of being “out of sync” if it is prepared to make up a major funding shortfall to rebuild Casement Park while housing waiting lists soar.Belfast councillor and TUV deputy leader Mr McDowell has described the situation as unacceptable, at a time “when national and local government finances are under pressure and ordinary people are dealing with a cost of living crisis”.

The project has been delayed for years, but a concerted effort is being made to have a firm commitment to the stadium’s redevelopment on the table so that Casement can be included in a joint bid to host Euro 2028.

Although the now estimated £168m is vastly greater than the original redevelopment estimate of less than £80m, GAA officials have already confirmed that the sporting body will not be contributing more than the £15m they committed at the outset.

Mr McDowell said it is “nothing short of scandalous” that the sporting body’s share of the bill will be no more than the originally pledged £15m.

“When the new Casement Park was proposed the GAA agreed to pay £15 million of the projected £77.5 million cost,” he said.

“Getting a new stadium while [originally] contributing less than 20% of the cost of construction was a good deal from a GAA point of view, particularly given that they are by a considerable distance the richest sporting organisation in Northern Ireland. It is totally unacceptable that, with the cost of Casement ballooning to £168m, the GAA should refuse to contribute any more to the cost of the project.

“The GAA are now expecting the public purse to cover over 90% of the cost of their stadium.”Mr McDowell added: “It is important to remember too that many people in Northern Ireland have zero interest in the GAA and will never darken the turnstiles of the place.

"At a time when national and local government finances are under pressure and ordinary people are dealing with a cost of living crisis it is nothing short of scandalous that the Secretary of State should have a ‘we'll find the money don't you worry’ approach to this project and this project alone. Why should the GAA uniquely have access to a bottomless pit of public money?”

A DfC spokesperson said: “A VEAT (Voluntary Ex Ante Transparency Notice) notice has been published by UCGAA to notify the market of UCGAA’s proposal to modify their existing Casement contract.“It is an important part of the open and transparent contract modification process.“No modification will be undertaken, however, until the Department concludes its assessment of the UCGAA’s proposal."