Casement Park: Sports minister Carál Ní Chuilín says role will 'stand up to scrutiny'

Northern Ireland's sports minister has hit back at claims she was aware of safety issues around the redevelopment of Casement Park in Belfast.

UUP leader Mike Nesbitt said it was "beyond belief" that Carál Ní Chuilín was unaware of safety concerns until a committee meeting last month.

A safety expert said the 38,000-capacity stadium could not be evacuated safely in certain emergencies.

The minister said she was "confident" her role would stand up to scrutiny.

In a statement, Carál Ní Chuilín said Mr Nesbitt's comments were "without foundation".

"It is unbelievable that Mr Nesbitt would try to seek some form of political gain by suggesting that I would put people's lives in jeopardy in order to build a sporting stadium," she said.

"This issue is well above petty political point scoring.

"I have repeatedly stated that I will not compromise on safety and that no stadium will open without a valid safety certificate. That was the case for the Kingspan Stadium at Ravenhill and it will be the case for Windsor Park and Casement Park.

"It is encouraging, however, to note the new found interest of Mr Nesbitt in GAA stadia and I look forward to seeing him in the future in the new and safe Casement Park."

Last month, Paul Scott of Sport NI and the Safety Technical Group examining Casement, briefed the Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee about the redevelopment plan by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA).

Mr Scott said there was the potential for a disaster at the new stadium, like the Hillsborough tragedy.

He also told the committee he was put under "undue pressure" to approve plans for the new ground by officials from the minister's department. He said his concerns about safety had been "largely ignored".

Afterwards, Ms Ní Chuilín said she first heard of his allegations when he appeared before the committee. She said she was "absolutely confident that had concerns of that nature been raised with my officials before I would have heard about it".

However, on Wednesday, UUP leader Mike Nesbitt said it was "frankly inconceivable that a senior official in possession of the sort of briefing Paul Scott would have given, focused as he was on the possibility of a Hillsborough-style disaster in a 38,000-capacity stadium, would sit on that knowledge".

Mr Nesbitt called on members of the Committee for Culture Arts and Leisure to vote on Thursday to begin an inquiry.

Ms Chuilín has asked for a full review of the Casement Park project and has refuted the allegations.

A new consultation process is due to take place ahead of any fresh planning application.

Ms Ní Chuilín has said safety would always remain paramount.

In a further statement, Mr Nesbitt dismissed what he called Ms Ní Chuilín's "pathetic attempt to divert attention" from his focus on when she became aware of safety concerns.

He also outlined his history of association with the GAA, from covering matches as a sports reporter to accepting invitations to GAA matches as a Strangford MLA.

He added: "If that represents 'new found' in the minister's mind, then it further undermines my confidence in her judgement.

"I urge her to stop trying to deflect attention from the issue and focus on being honest about what she did and did not know about the safety of the Casement plan and crucially, when she first knew there was a problem."