Editorial: The cost of the GAA Casement stadium has spiralled in a time of serious financial shortage - that is the problem

Morning View

​Among arguments made for a Casement blank cheque is that unionists should be generous to a project of value to nationalists.​

This argument was made, successfully, over the Irish language and the blackmail that was applied to get an act. Such a language act was harmless, we were told, and opposition to it bigotry.

Some unionists were persuaded by those claims yet already, independent of an act, an Irish language street sign policy in Belfast is progressing in its plan to get most Belfast streets in Gaelic, even in areas where a large majority of people don't want it. Meanwhile, John O'Dowd wants directional street signage in Irish in parts of Belfast, a thing we were told would not happen under an act, but a push that – again, independent of an act – will extend across Northern Ireland.

It is all about making NI seem part of the Republic, not the UK, and will not stop until, as in the south, Irish is in many respects given precedence over the English that almost all nationalists speak as their main language.

Re Casement we are told it is about all sport, it is an infrastructure project for all Northern Ireland, and vital to hosting the Euros. The latter point is true but in part because the Irish Football Association has seemed to agree with the GAA's assessment that the Casement project must be funded regardless of other considerations. In truth, the projected cost of stadium there has spiralled out of control, and the GAA, supported by the ever-keen-to-intervene Irish government, should pick up the excess cost for which it is largely responsible.

It is important the next government and DUP make clear to the GAA that they support it getting the £62m it was originally pledged for the stadium, uprated for inflation – around £90m today, a fair settlement. And not a penny more, in a time when the NHS is on the brink of financial chaos, and as we report today, schools too.