The BBC in Belfast has said it will be happy to reflect “errors of fact” in its coverage of the debate around funding for Casement Park.
The broadcaster was responding after former DUP MLA Jim Wells was accused of making statements on Monday’s Stephen Nolan radio show that were “factually incorrect”.
The one-time Stormont health minister and recent TUV election candidate was not challenged by the presenter when he claimed the GAA gave a “million pounds to each county on the island of Ireland following the rugby internationals” and that the stadium which hosted Northern Ireland’s Euro 2016 game with Ukraine was only 60% full.
The former South Down representative believes the GAA should increase its £15m contribution towards the refurbishment of Casement Park yet remains sceptical that fixtures hosted at the west Belfast venue in the 2028 would sell-out.
Mr Wells’ claim about the GAA donating £1m to each county is thought to refer to a recent philanthropic donation made by horse racing magnate JP McManus.
Additionally, information from Uefa indicates that the 2016 match between Ukraine-Northern Ireland in the 58,585-capacity Stade de Lyon, at which Mr Wells was present, was watched by a crowd of just over 51,000 – more than 85% full.
When The Irish News suggested to Mr Wells that the figures he was quoting were erroneous, he said he would happily stand over them.
“Even if it was money from a rich benefactor, it still shows that the GAA is a very wealthy organisation,” he said.
“A 5% contribution towards a £300 million stadium that will be gifted to them from the Northern Ireland taxpayer is not on.”
Irish News columnist Brendan Mulgrew, who took part in Monday’s on-air discussion, which also involved economist Esmond Birnie, said he made several efforts during the show to correct Mr Wells’ claims.
“Unfortunately, the conversation around Casement Park is too often ill-informed, as Monday morning’s discussion involving Jim Wells demonstrates,” Mr Mulgrew said on Tuesday.
“He made claims about the GAA’s finances which were factually incorrect, and despite my best efforts to put the record straight, that narrative around a cash rich GAA is too often unchallenged.
“Jim Wells and others are peddling a very negative agenda that is normalised by reducing it to a discussion about money instead of one which looks at the opportunity on offer.”
Mr Mulgrew said he believed the GAA should be open to making a bigger contribution to the project.
“I believe the GAA should at the very least be open to a conversation about making more funds available and I think that will happen in time,” he said.
“While the primary funding duty is on the UK government and Stormont executive, with welcoming support from the Irish government, I think it’s increasingly untenable for the GAA to dismiss calls for it to make a bigger contribution – this project is too important to miss.”
A statement from the BBC said: “We have discussed the development of Casement Park across the BBC, hearing from people with different views, insights and areas of expertise.
“Our discussion on July 15 included contributions from Brendan Mulgrew, Dr Esmond Birnie and Jim Wells.
“If there are errors of fact in what people may have said, that’s something we’ll be happy to reflect and in the usual way.”
