The Secretary of State says there are now two options for the West Belfast stadium project – change the design to one that’s affordable under the money available, or raise more funds. The GAA has declined to say how much more – if anything – it will contribute to its ground, with £90m still to be found if current plans are to proceed. Communities minister Gordon Lyons – whose department is in charge of the redevelopment – has urged the GAA to find more money or “change their plans to fit the funding”. Former UK sports minister Baroness Hoey said the government “should not have given in” on demands for more cash, because a stadium suitable for the GAA’s needs could have been built “for much less”. The West Belfast stadium project has been beset by delays for many years – caused initially by planning issues and subsequently spiralling costs and more ambitious plans. After the Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that the government would allocate £50m, there were fresh calls from the SDLP for the Executive to up its contribution. So far the GAA has £15m on the table, the Irish government has pledged £43m and Stormont’s offer is around £62.5m. Hilary Benn says the government has done its bit for the development by making £50m available – and that he wants to see the stadium completed. Asked by BBC presenter Chris Buckler about the GAA’s refusal to answer questions on whether they would contribute more money to the project, Mr Benn said a choice had to be made. “Well, they're simply two choices. Either the design is changed so that the stadium can be built with the amount of money that is now available, or other funds come forward. “I think that's what are those who are committed to the project – it is an Executive project – will now want to sit around a table and talk about and find a way forward. Let’s get this done”. Responding to concerns that football was not receiving any funding as a result of the extra money for the GAA, the Secretary of State said that the sport “has had quite a bit of money directly from the UK Government in the last five years” The Labour politicians continued: “as has rugby, as has contributions to other leisure and sport facilities in Northern Ireland. That adds up to quite a considerable sum. So I think it's very important that people recognise the contribution that's been made to those two great supporting traditions directly by the UK Government. “Secondly, the previous government made a lot of promises about Casement Park and did absolutely nothing about it. And the government, I, took the view that it was important that we should make a contribution to help get this project built, because it is a commitment, as you know of the executive which dates back to 2011. “As I made clear in recent months, if we do make a contribution, it's not going to fill the whole of the remaining gap to build the stadium. And I would now expect everyone to sit around the table and see well, what further contributions can be found. “What I think the vast majority of people want is to get the stadium built so that the three great sporting traditions in Northern Ireland have each got their stadiums completed. Windsor Park and Ravenhill have been done. Casement Park has not”. He added: “I've done my bit by on behalf of the British government making the 50 million pound contribution… and I know that all of the partners who are committed to this project will now want to work really hard to make sure that we finally see spades in the ground and the stadium being constructed”.