Stormont Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has rejected an assessment of a “hostile environment” for the GAA.
It comes after comments from GAA president Jarlath Burns last week around the long-stalled redevelopment of Casement Park.
The west Belfast ground had been due to be redeveloped at the same time at the football ground Windsor Park and the rugby ground Ravenhill.
While the other two projects went ahead, the Casement proposal was delayed following legal challenges from local residents.
Workmen at Casement Park GAA stadium in Belfast (PA)
A subsequent proposal to transform Casement into a venue to host matches for the Euro 2028 tournament in the UK and Ireland collapsed due to funding.
Mr Lyons was questioned on what he is doing to advance the redevelopment of Casement Park at a meeting of the Stormont Communities Committee on Thursday.
He outlined it is his responsibility to deliver £62.5 million which was originally agreed in 2011 when Windsor Park and Ravenhill also received funding.
He said it is for the GAA to come forward with proposals, but also revealed he is waiting to have a meeting with Secretary of State Hilary Benn to seek further clarity around funding for Casement and sport in Northern Ireland generally.
“We’ve had discussions with the GAA,” he told MLAs. “We meet with the GAA once a month, at least once a month, at official level, and although it still remains the responsibility of the GAA to come forward with their proposals, and I’ve said many times that the commitment is still there is £62.5m.
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons appeared before Stormont’s Communities Committee on Thursday (NI Assembly/PA)
“I’ve been asked to and I’ve agreed to write to the Secretary of State to ask for more information. I received a response, there was no more information forthcoming from him, and so on this and a number of other critical issues for the department, I have asked to meet the Secretary of State to tease out where we are in terms of UK Government funding for sport in Northern Ireland including Casement Park.”
Committee deputy chairwoman Nicola Brogan put to Mr Lyons a comment by GAA president Jarlath Burns that they are operating in a “hostile environment”.
Mr Lyons said he would not agree with that characterisation.
“I can understand his frustration,” the minister said. “I can understand why after 14 years of no action being taken that he is frustrated, but there is certainly not a hostile environment that I’m presiding over within this department.
“When he has requested to meet with me, I have met with him. Officials engage regularly, at least once a month on this issue.
“But I think that Jarlath’s frustration comes from the fact that he may well be under pressure from within his organisation, and I understand that, and I understand the frustration of 14 years of promises being made and that he has seen the regional programme for stadia develop with Windsor Park completed, Ravenhill completed, and nothing has been done yet in terms of Casement despite all of the circumstances surrounding it.
“I stand ready to meet with the Secretary of State. I have said to Jarlath I will meet with him after that meeting takes place.
“It can be very easy sometimes to blame politicians. It’s very easy to blame a unionist minister but that simply doesn’t match up with the reality of what we have been doing in the department.”
Committee chairman Colm Gildernew asked the minister whether he had attended a GAA match and when he intends to do so.
Mr Lyons said he attended a children’s match at a GAA-for-all event in Randalstown.
“It was a kids match but it was still a match,” he said. “I got a very warm welcome, I was very pleased to be there. The theme of that day was about inclusion and how everybody can be involved.
“It’s the only invitation that I have received from a GAA club so far.
“There was an open invitation to come, I received a few days before the All Ireland final in July, or maybe August last year. I only got that a few days before.
“As I’ve said before, I’m more than happy to attend. I get lots of invitations to different clubs and to different sports across Northern Ireland.”