Casement Park Redevelopment 'Must Be Delivered'

The redevelopment of Casement Park "must be delivered", SDLP leader, Colum Eastwood, has said following a meeting with an Ulster GAA delegation at Stormont.

Foyle MP Mr Eastwood said: "Our meeting today with Ulster GAA was extremely positive as we discussed plans for the redevelopment of Casement Park and a number of others areas where we can work alongside and support the GAA. It's clear that we are approaching the moment of truth when it comes to Casement, particularly if the stadium is to be ready for Euro 2028, but there is a real sense that the will is there and the momentum to make this happen.

"The SDLP will continue to make the case for funding at both Westminster and in the Assembly. The Secretary of State committed that the British Government would contribute additional resource for Casement last year, the Irish Government has generously put forward funding of their own through the Shared Island Unit and we expect that Chris Heaton-Harris and Communities Minister Gordon Lyons will make appropriate commitments as well.

"Ulster GAA has been waiting well over a decade for the new home that they were promised in the heart of west Belfast. This stadium would be transformational not only in a sporting sense, but in that it would attract new businesses, jobs and investment to one of the most deprived parts of the North. Hosting the Euros has the potential to change the face of an entire community and leave a sporting legacy that stretches from soccer to the GAA.

"Any money invested in Casement will be returned to our economy several times over in the decades to come and I urge all interested parties to put their shoulder to the wheel and get funding in place. It would be absolutely shameful to miss out on the opportunity to bring the Euros to the North, but regardless the commitment of a new state-of-the-art GAA stadium for Belfast must be delivered upon."