Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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1100. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the State’s contribution to the Casement Park redevelopment under the Shared Island Fund, including the payment schedule, governance and oversight arrangements with partners in Northern Ireland and the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47405/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In February 2024 the Government agreed a range of funding allocations of more than €800 million to affirm its commitment to work with the Northern Ireland Executive, and with the UK Government, to make cross-border investments that will make the island of Ireland a better place to live for all who call it home. This is evidence of our commitment to Strand 2 of the Good Friday Agreement-North/South Co-operation and is the largest ever package of Government funding for cross-border investments.

As part of this wider set of commitments, the Government announced a commitment of €50 million through the Shared Island Fund to contribute to construction of a redeveloped Casement Park in Belfast. This is both a North/South and an East/West project, and it is the Government’s wish that the ground will be made available to a wide range of sporting and cultural events.

Consistent with the Government’s policy on funding for large scale sports infrastructure, principles for funding of the project will be agreed such that it is accessible to and will benefit a range of sports, and is operated to facilitate equality, diversity and inclusion in sport, including supporting cross-community relationships in Northern Ireland and across the island. 

Earlier this year, I welcomed the UK Government’s funding commitment of £50 million, as part of the UK Chancellor's Spending Review, for redevelopment of Casement Park and I have met with the GAA to discuss how the project can move forward.

The Government and the UK Government have now each made significant funding commitments to support the delivery of a redeveloped Casement Park. It is for the Executive and the GAA to confirm their respective final funding commitments for the project and to define the overall funding package available that will allow redevelopment to proceed. I am hopeful that this total amount would then be sufficient to see the project move ahead without delay. When an agreed approach is confirmed between the Executive and the GAA, the Government will then engage regarding the details of how the Shared Island funding for the project will be allocated.