British government must commit to Casement Park funding - O'Neill
Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill has said the British government must deliver on its commitment to provide substantial funding to help rebuild Casement Park, the home of Antrim GAA, in west Belfast.
British Chancellor Rachel Reeves is due to announce a comprehensive spending review next Wednesday and it's viewed as a pivotal moment for the plan to redevelop the stadium.
The project has an estimated cost of £250m (€296.9m) and just under half is already in place, with the Irish government pledging around £43m (€51m), the Stormont Executive £62.5m (€74.2m) and the GAA £15m (€17.8m).
The GAA held an event at Westminster today to lobby MPs ahead of the announcement next week.
Ms O'Neill and her Sinn Féin colleague, north Belfast MP John Finucane, met the Northern Ireland Secretary of State in Belfast this morning.
Speaking afterwards, Ms O'Neill said she had stressed the "political significance" of the project going ahead as well as what she said would be huge economic benefits.
"This is something that's long overdue and I look forward to this day next week, whenever we actually see the outworkings of all of that, and will understand in more detail what it all looks like," she said.
"Casement Park must be built, that remains my position. It's an Executive flagship commitment, it still stands as an Executive flagship commitment so the British government must find a way to honour its political commitment, put their money on the table and actually back a project that will bring enormous benefits to everybody.
"The GAA is something to be celebrated , it's something that really celebrates diversity and something that really is at the heart of our community. This is a good thing, so let's now get on and get it done," she added.
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