Ulster Gaa Need Concrete Plan For Casement - Lyons

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has said he is incapable to move guardant connected nan redevelopment of Casement Park until location is "more certainty" connected nan plans from Ulster GAA.

The task has been beset pinch delays since nan westbound Belfast venue hosted its past crippled successful nan summertime of 2013, pinch first readying support for a 40,000 capacity stadium quashed successful 2014.

A redesigned scheme for a 34,000 capacity stadium was approved successful 2022 and was initially estimated astatine £108m, but pinch spiralling building costs, that fig has risen significantly.

The curate said he is yet to spot a last connection from Ulster GAA but "construction ostentation is having a immense effect connected our expertise to deliver."

Speaking aft Thursday's announcement connected nan distribution of money done nan NI Football Fund, Lyons said: "We still person that rumor of backing erstwhile it comes to Casement arsenic location is simply a spread that needs to beryllium bridged."

"The first point we request to cognize is, what do they really want? There person been a number of different proposals astir successful position of nan build and nan planning. What spec of a stadium? If it (capacity) is northbound of 32,000 location is simply a value tag that comes pinch that if they are prepared to look astatine replacement options. That (lower capacity) will travel astatine a little cost.

The curate said a last connection would still person to beryllium costed and he said his section "can't move guardant until location is much certainty".

Casement Park was nominated arsenic a big venue for football's 2028 European Championships.

However, pinch nan costs rising to an estimated £400m to meet Uefa criteria and conscionable £120m secured betwixt nan Northern Ireland Executive, Irish Government and nan GAA, nan UK Government opted against making up nan shortfall, resulting Belfast being removed arsenic a big city.

The GAA has since indicted nan costs for a little spec stadium stands astatine an astir £260m pinch nan UK Government pledging £50m, which still leaves astir £90m to beryllium secured.

Although nan curate outlined his desire to spot nan stadium built, he said he is unsure whether nan GAA will "compromise" to trim nan costs further, but said discussions will stay "ongoing".

"The Euros was a facet that would person affected nan build that could person been successful place," nan curate added.

"That is now disconnected nan array and makes it a spot cheaper by taking retired nan extras that would person been location for nan shot tournament," he said.

Lyons said location are a number of imaginable options that "could beryllium connected nan table".

"I don't deliberation we person a last position from nan GAA arsenic to what precisely it is they are looking for aliases consenting to discuss connected successful bid to get thing that starts to move successful to thing that could beryllium affordable, but those conversations will beryllium ongoing," he concluded.

Ulster GAA were contacted for comment.