Northern Ireland

Casement funding not raised at meeting between north’s leaders and UK chancellor last Thursday, assembly hears

Opposition leader condemns failure to raise issue while the Minister Caoimhe Archibald said Executive officials knew nothing about announcement before it was made on Friday

Northern Ireland’s Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald (left), First Minister Michelle O’Neill (centre) and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly at the Treasury in London
Northern Ireland’s Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald (left), First Minister Michelle O’Neill (centre) and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly at the Treasury in London last Thursday (Jordan Pettitt/PA)
By John Breslin

Casement Park did not appear to be raised by the north’s ministers at a meeting with the UK chancellor just ahead of Friday’s announcement that funding would not be made available in time for Euro 2028.

Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald suggested to the Assembly on Monday that the issue had not been discussed.

Opposition leader Matthew O’Toole, of the SDLP, questioned why the issue of Casement funding was not raised at Thursday’s meeting also involving First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma-Little Pengelly.

The finance minister did not directly answer the question on whether Casement was raised but said it was at many other meetings, adding there were previous occasions the decision was flagged as imminent.

The UK Government has said it will not fund the redevelopment of Casement Park in time for Euro 2028
The UK Government has said it will not fund the redevelopment of Casement Park in time for Euro 2028 (Niall Carson/PA)

Executive officials were not made aware of the announcement before it was made, she added. Ms Archibald said the need for investment in public services and capital infrastructure was raised at the meeting in London with Rachel Reeves.

Mr O’Toole, the South Belfast MLA, said: “Confirmation from the finance minister that Casement Park was not discussed...will rightly shock anyone with a vested interest in this project.

“The media had been awash with reports that a decision on Casement was imminent and to not even bring it up is a dereliction of duty from these ministers.”

SDLP MLA and Opposition leader Matthew O’Toole launching the party’s Plan for Change at Stormont Hotel in Belfast
SDLP MLA and Opposition leader Matthew O’Toole launching the party’s Plan for Change at Stormont Hotel in Belfast (David Young/PA)

He added: “The finance minister was also unable to confirm what she and her officials knew about the Casement decision and when, only able to say that they were not aware an announcement would be made on Friday.

“Given the decision was made the following night, it’s even more surprising that these leading Executive members chose not to raise it or were given no indication that it was coming.”