Sinn Fein has urged the UK Government to “stop dithering” and “fulfil its pledge” to help fund the rebuilding of Casement Park.
The former GAA ground in west Belfast has been closed for over a decade amid delays to regeneration plans.
The Stormont Executive committed to redeveloping Casement Park in 2011, as part of a strategy to revamp football’s Windsor Park and the rugby ground at Ravenhill.
The Stormont Executive committed to redeveloping Casement Park in 2011 (Liam McBurney/PA)
While the two other Belfast-based projects went ahead, the redevelopment of Casement was delayed because of legal challenges by local residents.
A proposal to rebuild Casement as a venue for the Euro 2028 games collapsed last year when the government said it would not bridge a funding gap to deliver the project in time.
It said the risk to the public purse of missing the tournament deadline was too high and expressed concerns about how the cost of the project had potentially risen to more than £400 million.
Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill along with Senator Conor Murphy and West Belfast MP Paul Maskey met with a delegation from the GAA at Stormont on Tuesday.
The delegation included GAA President Jarlath Burns as well as senior figures from Ulster GAA.
Speaking afterwards, Mr Murphy said Sinn Fein reaffirmed its “full support for the transformative rebuild of Casement Park”.
He said while the Executive, GAA and the Irish Government have set out their contributions to fund the building of the stadium, the onus is now on the UK Government to do the same.
A Sinn Fein delegation including vice president Michelle O’Neill meets with GAA president Jarlath Burns at Parliament Buildings at Stormont on Tuesday (Sinn Fein/PA)
He said the rebuild has “huge potential to create jobs, boost tourism and be an economic driver for west Belfast and further afield”.
“For too long, the British Government and the Communities Minister have dragged their heels and failed in their commitment to help fund Casement Park,” he said.
“This dithering must end, and previous funding pledges fulfilled.
“The Labour government should now clarify the funding it will allocate for the reconstruction of this stadium, and enable us to move forward and build a new home for Ulster gaels.
“Sinn Fein will ensure Casement Park is built, and we will continue to work alongside the GAA and others to deliver this exciting and game-changing project.”
Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill leads a delegation from her party to meet with a senior delegation from the GAA, including GAA president Jarlath Burns (Sinn Fein/PA)
The Stormont Executive committed £62.5 million in 2011 to the Casement project.
The Irish Government has offered roughly £42 million and said this funding remains in place even without the stadium being built for the Euros.
The GAA has pledged to contribute £15 million.
It has been reported that the cost of the project has fallen to £270 million since it was confirmed the ground would not host Euro matches, still leaving a funding shortfall of about £150 million.