Government open to increasing funding for Casement Park, says Taoiseach

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

The Government is open to increasing funding for Casement Park, the Taoiseach has said.

There has been mounting speculation that the stadium is set to be axed as a venue for Euro 2028.

The derelict west Belfast ground has been earmarked to host five matches in the showpiece tournament being played in Ireland and the UK.

But the funding required to rebuild the stadium in time for the tournament is not in place, prompting concerns that the delays will see Belfast missing out.

The UK's Northern Ireland secretary Hilary Benn has said he is urgently looking at the issues around cost and remaining time for constructing the stadium, while characterising it as a “very important project”.

For its part, the Government has so far allocated €50 million towards the project.

Asked if the Irish Government was open to increasing that spend, Taoiseach Simon Harris said: “In principle, we are – but I think we have to take a little step back here.

“The Irish Government has already committed funding to Casement. I really want to see this developed.”

Mr Harris said there had been “encouraging words” from Mr Benn that the stadium would be built, but added: “The question now is a matter of timing.”

Speaking on BBC’s Sunday Politics Northern Ireland, he said: “I think it would be a huge missed opportunity if we had a situation where Euro 2028 was being hosted across these two islands and we couldn’t see games played in Northern Ireland.”

He added: “I’d like to work constructively with Prime Minister (Sir Keir) Starmer and with my colleagues across government and with the Northern Ireland Executive, the GAA and others to see how best to move forward.”

Mr Harris said the matter would be on the agenda when he met the UK prime minister next week, adding: “We need to have conversations to understand where the British government’s head is at on this matter too.”