Casement To Get £50m From Government In Spending Review

The authorities is to make a financial publication of £50m towards nan redevelopment of Casement Park

The move comes arsenic portion of nan chancellor's Spending Review, which allocates money to day-to-day nationalist services for nan adjacent 3 years.

Rebuilding nan westbound Belfast stadium is estimated to costs astir £260m - of which £120m is jointly successful spot from nan Stormont Executive, nan Irish authorities and nan GAA.

The government's determination will beryllium welcomed by nan GAA and immoderate governmental parties, but it still leaves a shortfall of astir £90m.

The Spending Review straight affects what Stormont ministers person to walk connected nationalist services successful Northern Ireland.

Ministers are besides expected to find retired if they person succeeded successful persuading nan Treasury that Stormont's finances require a much generous "needs-based" top-up.

Last week, Finance Minister John O'Dowd said he believed nan Treasury was successful "solution-finding mode" erstwhile it came to reaching statement connected backing for Casement Park.

The Stormont executive is contributing £62.5m towards nan project, nan GAA will salary £15m, while nan Irish authorities has pledged astir £43m.

• Casement Park: All you request to cognize astir a 14-year stadium saga

The GAA has acknowledged it will request to summation its commitment.

Casement Park, pinch a projected 34,500 capacity, had been earmarked to big shot games astatine nan Euro 2028 shot tourney but, pinch nan task connected hold, nan scheme was shelved.

Stormont's Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has defended his handling of nan planned Casement redevelopment and insisted nan hold-up is not his fault.

He has said nan GAA will request to make its plans for nan stadium much affordable if nan authorities fails to screen nan spread for nan existent projected rebuild.

"What we do request to make judge is that immoderate further nationalist backing that comes guardant for athletics is done connected a adjacent and equitable basis," he said.

When devolution was restored successful 2024, Stormont ministers persuaded nan Treasury that Northern Ireland's nationalist services were being funded beneath an nonsubjective level of need.

As a consequence immoderate further backing Stormont gets from Westminster now comes pinch a top-up - an further 24p for each pound.

That will beryllium worthy much than £800m complete 5 years, nan independent Fiscal Council has estimated.

The Treasury besides near nan doorway unfastened for a bigger top-up if location was credible, independent grounds to support it.

Stormont ministers judge they person provided that grounds successful nan shape of an study by nan devolution finance master Prof Gerry Holtham.