Editorial: ​GAA and Dublin  should fund the Casement extra

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Morning View
News Letter editorial on Tuesday June 10 2025

​The DUP deputy first minister of Northern Ireland has been fielding questions on whether she would support the rebuild of Casement stadium in west Belfast.

Emma Little-Pengelly was being grilled on the matter ahead of expected funding that will deliver such a sports venue for the GAA.

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Anyone who has spent even much time monitoring politics in the province over the last few years will recognise that that that is always the focus of the Casement: why is the UK government not funding it? Why are unionists not backing it?

Unionists are right not to support massive extra funding for Casement. The UK government ought not to be spending any more on this project than was originally agreed. And the focus of media questions should be much more balanced.

A first question that is rarely posed is why the GAA has allowed this project to take so long that costs have ballooned. Another is why Michelle O’Neill, as a self-styled ‘first minister for all’, believes the GAA should get special treatment.

A further query is why the Irish government does not just cover the shortfall? After all, it is not shy either about showing how rich the Republic now is or about interfering in NI affairs. Irish government leaders told us we must have an Irish language act. They interject themselves in matters such as telling the UK that one Troubles murder, that of Sean Browne, must have a public inquiry (that will cost tens of millions). Meanwhile Ireland sues Britain on legacy, while shunning its own responsibilities.

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Ms Little-Pengelly has pointed out that other spots must get the same if London ups its offer, and so they must. But there is a risk that that sounds like unionists again calling for the UK to fund everything on a large scale. Better that Dublin and the wealthy GAA fund the gap between the money other sports got and the now vast costs of Casement.

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