Casement Park: A once in a generation opportunity has been squandered through political failure - The Irish News view

Many factors have contributed to the appalling list of mistakes surrounding the Casement Park debacle, which clearly represents a grave indictment of our overall political structures.

The proposal for a major redevelopment of the west Belfast venue only arose in the first place because a visionary concept for a £300m multi-sports complex at what is officially known as the Maze/Long Kesh site was abandoned at a late stage, due to a U-turn by the DUP.

All the main Stormont parties had endorsed a 40,000-seater stadium on the location of the former prison, which was to be shared by the GAA, the Irish Football Association and Ulster Rugby, symbolising the era of peace and reconciliation which followed the Good Friday Agreement.

The DUP’s late change of heart in 2008, in the face of pressures from the fringes of unionism, resulted in an official decision to instead provide grants for the expansion of separate bases by the three sporting bodies.

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Work was successfully completed at Ravenhill and Windsor Park, but, when the GAA attempted to deliver a more ambitious plan at Casement Park, it ran into prolonged delays after a series of planning and other difficulties.

A lifeline was eventually provided by the prospect that the upgraded 34,000-capacity Andersonstown ground would be used to stage matches in the 2028 European soccer championship, handing the entire region a massive economic boost.

If successive Westminster administrations had acted decisively, the new Casement Park would already be well on its way towards opening, facilitating all the unprecedented benefits associated with the European Championships

Sharply conflicting estimates of the final bill had risen steeply during all the hold-ups, but, only 16 months ago, the then Conservative Northern Ireland secretary of state, Chris Heaton-Harris, offered a categorical assurance that the cash would be found, primarily by the British and Irish governments, together with a GAA subsidy.

Mr Heaton-Harris faced the television cameras to confidently declare: “We will get the money, don’t you worry.” When asked where the funding was coming from, he replied: “All partners. I guarantee it.”

Labour’s Hilary Benn also initially expressed optimism about Casement when he replaced Mr Heaton-Harris this summer but, after an ominous period of silence, a devastating statement withdrawing the British government’s previous financial backing was released with suspiciously late timing on Friday night.

If successive Westminster administrations had acted decisively over many years, the new Casement Park would already be well on its way towards opening within budget and on schedule, facilitating all the unprecedented benefits associated with the European Championships.

Sadly, we have been left instead with a scene of dereliction which reflects political failure on a huge scale. The GAA will have to pick up the pieces, and is entitled to expect significant assistance from the public purse as it finalises a more modest Casement blueprint, but the wider community has lost out on a once in a generation opportunity.