A decision on British government funding for the new Casement Park is expected in June.
A delegation from Sinn Féin, including party leader Mary Lou McDonald TD, deputy leader Michelle O’Neill MLA, and North Belfast MP John Finucane met in Belfast with the British Secretary of State, Hilary Benn on Monday, where the issue of British government funding for Casement Park was raised.
To date, the British government has not given a financial commitment towards the GAA venue which has lain derelict since 2013 awaiting redevelopment.
With Belfast’s Windsor Park and Ravenhill having already benefited from Stormont funding which saw the soccer and rugby venues upgraded, plans for a 34,000 stadium have been dogged by setbacks and delays and costs have spiralled in the intervening years.
On Saturday, thousands of Gaels marched to the derelict Andersonstown stadium calling for reconstruction work to begin (See report in this week's print/digital edition of the Echo)
Following the meeting, Mary Lou McDonald said: “At the weekend Gaels took to the streets of Belfast, demonstrating strong support for the new GAA stadium. We are doing all we can to get construction underway, but clarity is needed on the British government’s financial contribution — beyond that of the Executive and the GAA.
“The Secretary of State informed us that a bid has been made to London and a decision is expected in June.
“Sinn Féin is fully committed to delivering Casement Park in the Executive. It is a necessary project, long overdue, and enjoys widespread public support across Ulster and the entire island. What we need now is swift, decisive action.”
Ms. McDonald said the delegation also urged the British Secretary of State to heed both the courts and the widow of murdered GAA official Seán Brown, who was murdered by the LVF in 1997, to "do the right thing by granting a full public inquiry" into the circumstances surrounding his killing.
“The Court of Appeal ruled on 3 April that the British government’s ongoing refusal to hold such an inquiry is ‘unlawful and cannot stand’, and gave the Secretary of State four weeks to respond.
“With that deadline approaching, we impressed upon Mr. Benn the need to act — both to ensure legal accountability and to deliver truth and justice to Mrs Bridie Brown and her family.”
She added: “Finally, we discussed the growing political momentum around constitutional change and the prospect of a border poll.
“Sinn Féin believes the Irish government must begin preparations for an inclusive, informed public conversation involving all parties across the island. It is also imperative that the British government recognise the significant change now underway and that they embrace the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement to hold a referendum and give people the democratic freedom to support Irish reunification, or the constitutional future they wish to live in.”
