Northern Ireland

Casement Park project could require executive agreement

Finance minister Conor Murphy, Tom Daly of the Casement Park redevelopment project and Sinn Féin's Deirdre Hargey at the grounds in west Belfast earlier this year
Finance minister Conor Murphy, Tom Daly of the Casement Park redevelopment project and Sinn Féin's Deirdre Hargey at the grounds in west Belfast earlier this year Finance minister Conor Murphy, Tom Daly of the Casement Park redevelopment project and Sinn Féin's Deirdre Hargey at the grounds in west Belfast earlier this year

PLANNING approval for Casement Park could require executive agreement rather than just one minister without a law change to clarify ministerial decision-making, a Stormont department has said.

It is believed any decision to plug a £33 million funding gap besetting the west Belfast GAA stadium project may also require broader executive approval.

Officials are expected to make a recommendation this summer to the infrastructure minister Nichola Mallon on whether planning permission should be granted.

It comes as a proposed law change to clarify ministerial decision-making powers is passing through the assembly.

The Executive Committee (Functions) Bill seeks to clarify what constitutes a cross-cutting issue that requires the consideration of the whole Stormont executive.

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) was asked whether a planning decision on Casement would require executive approval, rather than Ms Mallon acting alone.

A spokeswoman said the minister will not have to refer the decision to the executive if the bill comes into operation.

"Officials continue to work at pace to complete their assessment of this significant planning application to the point where a recommendation can be made to the minister for decision," she said.

"At that point the department will consider whether referral to the executive committee is required and this will depend on the stage the forthcoming Executive Committee (Functions) Bill has reached in the accelerated passage through the assembly.

"If the Act has come into operation then the decision can be taken by the DfI minister without referral to the executive committee."

It has been 11 years since the GAA first announced it wanted to build a major new stadium, but the troubled project has faced numerous setbacks.

Following a legal challenge, revised plans were submitted in 2017 with a reduced spectator capacity of around 34,000.

The original budget was about £77m, with Stormont pledging around £62m and the GAA providing £15m.

This was agreed as part of the regional stadia programme, which also allocated funding for upgrades to Belfast's soccer and rugby grounds Windsor Park and Kingspan.

However, the projected cost of Casement has since risen to £110m.

The Department for Communities (DfC), which is in charge of the regional stadia programme, and the Department of Finance are in discussions with the GAA.

They have yet to agree the proportions each will pay in a revised budget, and a new business case has not yet been signed off.

It is expected that executive approval may be needed for additional funding for Casement, regardless of the advancement of the Executive Committee (Functions) Bill.

DfC did not address this matter when asked.

Instead, a spokeswoman said: "Any potential increases to Casement Park project cost estimates are described within the UCGAA [Ulster Council GAA] revised draft full business case, which is still under consideration by the department, and will remain in draft until outstanding issues, including the live planning application for the proposed stadium, are finalised."

The Executive Committee (Functions) Bill has been a source of some controversy, with one of First Minister Arlene Foster's former special advisers among its critics.

Richard Bullick claims it would undermine provisions in the 2006 St Andrews Agreement designed to prevent ministers acting alone on significant matters.

But Mrs Foster insisted she was comfortable with the contents of the bill and said it "most certainly is not" paving the way for more ministerial solo runs.