Debate contribution: Casement Park: British Government Announcement
Debate contribution by Lord Elliott on .
- MLA
- Lord Elliott
- Party at the time
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Date
- 16 September 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Matter of the Day
- Heading
- Casement Park: British Government Announcement
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4531687
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for raising the matter. I have heard very few people say that Casement Park should not be redeveloped. I am not saying that. What I am saying is that it should be developed on the basis that it was to be developed, but let me be blunt and fair: there is no endless pot of money to redevelop it on the basis that was being suggested. A number of figures have been mooted, but I do not know about their accuracy. The cost could be over £400 million or under £400 million, but, whatever it is, the figure is substantial. I am significantly concerned about the reliance that there was on hosting the Euros at Casement Park. I have to put on the record my concern about why we did not try to improve Windsor Park to a level at which it could have hosted the Euros, instead of relying on the development of Casement Park, which was always running behind. I do not believe that people here are shouting that it is a great decision not to put in the money. Rather, they are saying that it is a good decision not to target the money at that particular project when there are other projects that are more in need. Yes, Casement Park needs to be redeveloped, and I accept that. I do not hear many others saying that it should not be, but there are priorities in this country that we need to target money at more than we do at building a state-of-the-art Casement Park that, outside of the Euros, will be used solely for the benefit of the GAA. Whether that is for GAA matches, concerts or other events, the GAA will get the revenue from it. We therefore have to be realistic about how we take forward the issue. There are opportunities to develop Casement Park in line with what the GAA and, hopefully, local residents want, because those residents have not been overly impressed up to now with the plans for the multipurpose stadium. I would be more sympathetic to a better project if the GAA were to tidy up its act.
The GAA does a lot of good work in the sporting fraternity, but there are cultural, constitutional and political elements to it. That is accepted by senior people in the GAA. If you read some of Brian McAvoy's statements, you will see that he accepts that it is not just about the sporting element. The rules dictate that, if you are a unionist, you cannot be a member of the GAA, because it is strictly an all-Ireland-based organisation. Read the rules: they speak for themselves.
447 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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