Following doubts surrounding the redevelopment of Casement Park, the Gaelic Athletic Association has announced new, more modest plans that will allow the venue to accommodate more than 30,000 spectators. The authorities are virtually certain that EURO 2028 will not come to Northern Ireland.

Reducing cost and scope of upgrading Casement Park

Plans for the redevelopment of Casement Park were initially extensive, with a large budget of up to £400 million. Increased costs and the lack of a guarantee that the project would be completed in time for the 2028 European Championships, which were to be co-hosted by the UK and Ireland, led to the UK government not agreeing to fund the investment. Jarlath Burns, chairman of the GAA, confirmed that the organisation had taken the decision to reduce the scope of the planned upgrade.

The scaled-down project will see a number of facilities abandoned and a reduced standard of finish. Despite this, the stadium will still have a capacity of over 30,000. It’s a significantly smaller cost because we’ve taken a lot of the fitout away from it to try and make it as small a cost to the public purse as possible Burns told the BBC.

In relation to the new plans, the GAA has been in contact with the authorities, including Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, and is seeking support from Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn. While Benn is not yet ready to make a financial commitment, he welcomed news of the revised project. Benn commented that he would be happy to know more details about the proposal, including its cost.

Cancellation of Euro 2028

Speaking on the BBC' s Good Morning Ulster programme, Benn expressed regret that plans to host Euro 2028 at Casement Park had fallen through. He blamed the government's previous actions for this, calling the situation a toxic legacy.

Now, with changed priorities, the Northern Ireland Executive is free to make decisions about investment in a number of other priority areas.