Casement Park in line for major overhaul - 40,000 all seater Stadium.

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

About bloody time!!

[Evil Genius]

My understanding of government funding is that if money is allocated to project X the recipent cannot choose to spend it on project Y. Soccer got less money for Windsor Park and the balance of the allocation went to regional stadium funding.
GAA and governments would need to go back to the drawing board to redistribute Casement money elsewhere. But as Duine says it is so long ago I could be talking ballix.

Not quite.

On realising that HMG owned a site at The Maze which was going spare, some rocket scientist* at Westminster came up with a whizzo scheme to build a sports stadium out there, which would be shared equally between GAA, Soccer and Rugby. This would kick start the redevelopment of the whole site with other uses etc, and need a budget of £140m.

Then when it was realised that it could never pay its way, but would instead be a financial drain, they eventually decided to reallocate the money to the three governing bodies, each to build their own "Regional" stadium. This was divided £62.5M to GAA and IFA each, plus £15m to Rugby. (Think those figures are correct, if not they're ballpark. Sorry  )

Rugby was happy enough with it's share to tart up Ravenhill, ditto GAA for Casement, to which they were going to add £15m of their own. When it came to Soccer however, the IFA argued that it didn't need the full whack for Windsor, so instead they got a dispensation to use £26.5m there, and dedicate the balance of £36.5m for "Sub-Regional Stadia".

This last might have been after the money was devolved from Westminster to Stormont (unsure?), either way it was effectively determined that the £36.5m could not be disbursed until after the 3 Regional stadia were completed. Which is why Soccer has been kept waiting all this time, until the latest DCAL Minister broke the logjam.

Now as it happens, I suspect that if Ulster GAA were to decide that their original plan for Casement simply isn't going to fly, then they could probably renegotiate a scheme whereby some could be diverted towards other County grounds, as with soccer, though only amongst the six NI counties. But if so, that raises a further problem, namely that Hilary Benn could decide to reduce, or even pull entirely, the additional £50m allocated from Westminster, since that was dedicated towards an all-singing, all-dancing super stadium at Casement which, if not built, then wouldn't justify any extra.

While the Dublin government might decide that their €50m, originally allocated to get Casement over the line, shouldn't really be diverted elsewhere. I suspect they could, at least if some of it went to the three counties in ROI, but it shouldn't be taken for granted, since Dublin money for a big new Ulster Stadium is one thing, but propping up a few county stadia elsewhere in NI might play out differently, from a political pov at least?


* - Or do I merely mean "rocket"?

[Rossfan]

Extract from Ulster Secretary's annual report

Although there remain grave concerns about the proposed scale of Casement Park being realised, McAvoy sounded a positive note on the Belfast venue, claiming the £50m (€57m) funding from the British government for its redevelopment was "the highlight of the year".

McEvoy commented: "To date, £170.5m has been secured for the project and we are hopeful that an additional inflationary funding allocation can be secured which should bring the overall funding package for the project to circa £220m."

[Tony Baloney]

Extract from Ulster Secretary's annual report

Although there remain grave concerns about the proposed scale of Casement Park being realised, McAvoy sounded a positive note on the Belfast venue, claiming the £50m (€57m) funding from the British government for its redevelopment was "the highlight of the year".

McEvoy commented: "To date, £170.5m has been secured for the project and we are hopeful that an additional inflationary funding allocation can be secured which should bring the overall funding package for the project to circa £220m."

Bonkers that they can't build a stadium with £170.5m.

[DaleCooper]

It does feel like some lad is hitting a random number generator at times.

[Baile Brigín 2]

My understanding of government funding is that if money is allocated to project X the recipent cannot choose to spend it on project Y. Soccer got less money for Windsor Park and the balance of the allocation went to regional stadium funding.
GAA and governments would need to go back to the drawing board to redistribute Casement money elsewhere. But as Duine says it is so long ago I could be talking ballix.

Not quite.

On realising that HMG owned a site at The Maze which was going spare, some rocket scientist* at Westminster came up with a whizzo scheme to build a sports stadium out there, which would be shared equally between GAA, Soccer and Rugby. This would kick start the redevelopment of the whole site with other uses etc, and need a budget of £140m.

Then when it was realised that it could never pay its way, but would instead be a financial drain, they eventually decided to reallocate the money to the three governing bodies, each to build their own "Regional" stadium. This was divided £62.5M to GAA and IFA each, plus £15m to Rugby. (Think those figures are correct, if not they're ballpark. Sorry  )

Rugby was happy enough with it's share to tart up Ravenhill, ditto GAA for Casement, to which they were going to add £15m of their own. When it came to Soccer however, the IFA argued that it didn't need the full whack for Windsor, so instead they got a dispensation to use £26.5m there, and dedicate the balance of £36.5m for "Sub-Regional Stadia".

This last might have been after the money was devolved from Westminster to Stormont (unsure?), either way it was effectively determined that the £36.5m could not be disbursed until after the 3 Regional stadia were completed. Which is why Soccer has been kept waiting all this time, until the latest DCAL Minister broke the logjam.

Now as it happens, I suspect that if Ulster GAA were to decide that their original plan for Casement simply isn't going to fly, then they could probably renegotiate a scheme whereby some could be diverted towards other County grounds, as with soccer, though only amongst the six NI counties. But if so, that raises a further problem, namely that Hilary Benn could decide to reduce, or even pull entirely, the additional £50m allocated from Westminster, since that was dedicated towards an all-singing, all-dancing super stadium at Casement which, if not built, then wouldn't justify any extra.

While the Dublin government might decide that their €50m, originally allocated to get Casement over the line, shouldn't really be diverted elsewhere. I suspect they could, at least if some of it went to the three counties in ROI, but it shouldn't be taken for granted, since Dublin money for a big new Ulster Stadium is one thing, but propping up a few county stadia elsewhere in NI might play out differently, from a political pov at least?


* - Or do I merely mean "rocket"?

I think that €50m from Dublin was to get the Euros. I understand it's gone, Dalymount gets it instead.

The hard sell was helping build an Ulster final venue that isn't Clones and destroy what is left of the local economy by moving the games to Casement. That moght cost a government seat or two in Monaghan. Regional stadia aren't that sort of threat, but again, hard to justify when there is a limited pot.

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

Again, where have you seen that? You keep coming back to tell us that the money is gone but can't provide any evidence of it.

As posted above, the Secretary of Ulster GAA very recently stated (in a report for their 2026 convention in January) that they have £170.5 million secured for the project.
That is.....
£62.5 million from Stormont.
£15 million from the GAA.
£50 million from the UK Government.
And.....therefore....£43 million from ??

Now, £43 million is quite a specific figure so, to me, it seems that Ulster GAA are of the belief that the €50 million from the Irish Government is secured for their project. This would also be backed up by everything else that's been published in relation to the figures.

So, again, I'll ask you for your source on this. Or, at least, get your people to ring the Ulster Secretary as he appears to be completely in the dark about your update and it may be important to him.

[Rossfan]

Seeing as we the 26 Co taxpayers are contributing €?  annually to the Shared Ireland initiative we're unlikely to get our knickers in a twist over €50m to Casement Park.
 

Edit... see pages 6 and appendices page 56 (I think)  of the Government's Shared Ireland Report 2024.
The  Casement €50m is included.

[illdecide]

Do you think it will be possible for the Ulster Council to get a further £50m secured for a second Co ground in another location, all the rest of the Counties have a second ground and if ever Casement was unplayable they could switch it to their second ground.
They could let on it's for wood pellet heaters or something like that...

[Baile Brigín 2]

Again, where have you seen that? You keep coming back to tell us that the money is gone but can't provide any evidence of it.

As posted above, the Secretary of Ulster GAA very recently stated (in a report for their 2026 convention in January) that they have £170.5 million secured for the project.
That is.....
£62.5 million from Stormont.
£15 million from the GAA.
£50 million from the UK Government.
And.....therefore....£43 million from ??

Now, £43 million is quite a specific figure so, to me, it seems that Ulster GAA are of the belief that the €50 million from the Irish Government is secured for their project. This would also be backed up by everything else that's been published in relation to the figures.

So, again, I'll ask you for your source on this. Or, at least, get your people to ring the Ulster Secretary as he appears to be completely in the dark about your update and it may be important to him.

So it not being listed proves it is listed?

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

Nothing was listed by Ulster GAA.

I listed them.

Anyway....your source?

[armaghniac]

Seeing as we the 26 Co taxpayers are contributing €?  annually to the Shared Ireland initiative we're unlikely to get our knickers in a twist over €50m to Casement Park.

Yet people with ground projects in other counties may wonder why Antrim get €50m while they are levying clubs and running raffles to build their grounds.

[Rossfan]

It's physically in Antrim Co Board's area but isn't Ulster Council the body in charge of the project?
"Shared Island" money doesn't routinely go to GAA facilities.
The €50m is a once off.

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

It's physically in Antrim Co Board's area but isn't Ulster Council the body in charge of the project?
"Shared Island" money doesn't routinely go to GAA facilities.
The €50m is a once off.

He knows this. He's trolling.

Though, it's time we did start to talk about what Antrim GAA are owed for the stadium, land, loss of revenue etc etc.

[p3427977]

Nothing was listed by Ulster GAA.

I listed them.

Anyway....your source?

The money from the Irish government is 100% not gone.