The timing of a UK Government announcement over the development of Casement Park has been described by Gordon Lyons as “inappropriate”.
The Communities Minister told MLAs that an email had been sent to his office at 6:32pm on Friday informing of the stadium decision.
Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced in a joint letter that the Government will not fund the redevelopment of the derelict GAA stadium in west Belfast in time for the Euro 2028 tournament.
The ground had been earmarked to host five matches in Euro 2028, which is being jointly staged by the UK and Ireland.
The Irish Government and the GAA sporting body had said they would contribute to the redevelopment, but delays and spiralling costs created a funding gap.
Mr Benn and Ms Nandy said the cost of building Casement Park had risen “dramatically” from when the Euro 2028 bid was awarded in October 2023 and now, from £180 million to potentially above £400 million.
They also raised concerns that there was not enough time to redevelop the stadium to allow test events to be carried out ahead of the Euros.
During ministerial question time in the Northern Ireland Assembly, Mr Lyons was asked when he found out about the decision.
He said: “My private office was emailed at 6.32pm on Friday evening and that email was forwarded to my departmental email at 7pm.”
SDLP MLA Mark Durkan said it seemed the minister “is always the last to know”.
Mr Lyons responded: “I can only reflect to the House what it is that happened in terms of timings of this decision.
“What I will say is that I think it was inappropriate what has taken place with the Government, to put it mildly, over the last week in terms of announcements that are made.
“I think that it is right and proper that ministers are able to answer questions on this and that they are able to speak to the media, and neither of these things happened.”
The Government was also criticised by Stormont leaders on Friday over an announcement on the pausing of city and growth deals for the region.
Executive Office junior minister Aisling Reilly told MLAs that Mr Benn had previously stated that Casement Park would be rebuilt and urged him to honour that commitment.
She said: “We will continue to work with the GAA, the local Executive, the Irish and British governments to push this project forward and to get state of the art facilities built and a first class stadium for Gaelic games delivered.”
Ulster Unionist Lord Elliott said he had heard very few people saying that Casement should not be redeveloped.
He added: “I am not saying that.
“I am saying it should be developed on the basis that it was agreed to be developed.
“Let’s be blunt and fair about it, there is no endless pot of money to develop it on the basis that is being suggested.”
SDLP opposition leader Matthew O’Toole told MLAs: “The failure to build Casement Park in time for the European championships is a vast and indefensible failure for the people of west Belfast, everyone in this city and the entire island of Ireland.
“It would have been by any margin the most globally significant sporting event to ever take place in this region.”
