Poots Backs Maze - And Rubbish Civil Servant's Input To Plan

As reported here earlier this month, Edwin Poots, the former Arts and Culture Minister, is still firmly of the opinion that the plan to build a national stadium at the Maze (Lisburn) site remains the best option.

Also, as reported again today, he also believes some NI civil servants were opposed to the scheme, and he said he won't be withdrawing that claim.

The former Stormont Minsiter is launched a stinging attack on the top government officials who worked with him on plans for the multi sports stadium and is to say the civil service should now be stripped of responsibility for the project.

The Democratic Unionist Assembly (DUP) member accused senior officials of trying to inflate the estimated cost of the proposed arena for rugby, soccer and gaelic games at the former Maze paramilitary prison in an effort to undermine it.

He also described a recent claim from the chief accounting officer in his ex-department that the bill for the stadium development and associated conflict resolution centre could reach £719 million over thirty years as "cloud cuckoo talk".

Now a backbencher, Mr Poots will today table two challenging questions on the Maze to DUP colleagues First Minister Peter Robinson and Finance Minister Nigel Dodds.

The Lagan Valley representative, who lost his position to Gregory Campbell in the recent DUP reshuffle, said the civil service as a whole wields too much power in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

"Because of this risk aversion that's why we have ended up with silly figures like £719 million which wouldn't be borne out in reality and in fact were not borne out in bids from the private sector.

"In many respects I think the civil service lack the capacity to deal with a project of this scale.

"And it might be better if they weren't directly involved in taking the project forward."

The MLA said the Maze stadium could still become a reality if responsibility was handed to the government funded Strategic Investment Board or solely to the private sector.

Executive Ministers, who are facing pressure from a sizeable lobby who want an alternative venue built in Belfast, have yet to make a final decision on whether to pull the plug on the undertaking.

SDLP representative on the Sport Department's scrutiny committee Declan O'Loan said Mr Poots decision to tackle his party colleagues on the floor of the Assembly indicated there was real unrest within the DUP on the issue.

"But DUP anxiety over the inclusion and of a conflict transformation centre and their fears that their voters will react negatively to its creation should not be a reason to allow the project to collapse."

However Mr Poots denied there was an internal row in his party.

"There is absolutely no problem in that respect," he said.

See:

Maze Stadium Plan 'A Winner' Says Former Minister

(BMcC)