Thursday, December 13, 2007
“an abuse of the democratic process..”
The BBC are/were reporting this morning that members of the Assembly’s Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee were due to be shown plans for a sports stadium at the site of the former Maze prison by the Culture Minister, the DUP’s Edwin Poots - also here. And the report claimed, “the BBC understands both the business cases for the stadium and the entire Maze site should be with Finance Minister Peter Robinson by the end of this week.” However, according to another (later) report, all is not well..
Members claimed they had been left in the dark without sight of any business plan and accused the department of using them in a public relations exercise.
The meeting was adjourned for one hour, jeopardising the minister`s planned evidence session on the 37,000-seater venue. DUP committee member Nelson McCausland said: “Until the process is complete this is an absolute waste of time having any sort of presentation.
“It seems to me that this committee is being used this morning as a platform to justify a PR exercise outside this room and to use the committee this way is an abuse of the democratic process.”
Pete Baker @ 11:14 AM
Totally agree with Mr McCausland. This whole Maze thing stinks.
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 01:01 PMWe’re in strange days when I find myself saying this, but Nelson McCausland is absolutely right.
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 01:03 PMI’m just surprised to see a DUP MLA criticising a minister from his own party. Maybe all is not lost after all.
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 01:16 PMPoots and Dodds holding the ring while the Chuckle Bros spruce up Stormont.
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 03:04 PMWe’re in strange days when I find myself saying this, but Nelson McCausland is absolutely right.
Posted by URQUHART on Dec 13, 2007 @ 12:03 PM
Need I repeat the often heard quip regarding stopped clocks?
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 03:35 PMThe artist impressions of the Maze stadium
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7141497.stm
look remarkably like the new Lansdowne
http://www.lrsdc.ie/_fileupload/INT_RUGB 1200 x 872.jpg
You would almost think the same guys were designing both :)
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 03:38 PMWhile Belfast is the best location for the stadium (for the atmosphere, general economy, transport links etc), the bottom line is that if Poots wants to go ahead with the Maze development then the terrorist shrine must go. If he allows it to go ahead with the shrine to the SF IRA death squads then he’ll have an interesting time at the next election along with some of his DUP colleagues. I can see the headlines “DUP Minister Approves Shrine to Sinn Fein IRA murderers”.
On a practical note, given the amount of rain in Northern Ireland, can we have a roof like Cardiff?
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 03:53 PMThe purpose of the architects visit was to discuss the design of the eventual stadium, which the sporting associations have agreed to use and support, not the placement of the stadium nor what other features would be in place in the area. Keeping them at the door and organising a mass walkout was rank rudness on the part of the unionists and shame on the nationalist side of the room for letting that happen by turning up in such small numbers. On the same day we have Holywood stars visit the place they act like spoilt children, way to go Unionist MLA’s.
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 04:17 PMNonsense. The purpose was to create a PR event (note how the meeting was trailed on the Radio Ulster news this morning).
The Committee hasn’t been properly consulted (no-one has), but Poots and his advisers thought it would be clever to show off to the members with a flashy presentation, before putting their plans on general display.
It’s a pity that people seem to be more worried about irking a few over-paid consultants than they are about the murky process that has resulted in this Maze project being pushed at us.
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 04:37 PMWell done to the MLA´s. This whole fiasco has been a PR exercise from the off set. Anyone opposing the Maze has been labelled a “dinosaur”, even though the only visible feasibility studies have been forthcoming for stadiums on alternative sites.
I for one can´t really give a toss if the provos get their terror shrine, although why it has to be associated with a proposal for a National Stadium for Northern Ireland is beyond me.
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 04:56 PM“The purpose of the architects visit was to discuss the design of the eventual stadium, which the sporting associations have agreed to use and support, not the placement of the stadium nor what other features would be in place in the area. “
How can you study an achitectal design of something before agreeing first where it is going to be placed.
This committee meeting was designed as part of PR campaign aiming to push the assembly into rubber stamping the Maze project.
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 04:57 PMPossibly so, I disagree, but as per usual with unionists they walk away like spoilt little children in a huff instead of taking the opportunity to use the committee meeting as intended to make their views and opinios heard. Farce isn’t strong enough a word for it.
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 05:09 PMAnything which shows up the Maze proposal as the farce it is, is a good move in my book. Well done to the MLAs today.
Pity the Belfast Telegraph didnt have the courage to dig the dirt as they’ve tried to do with Paisley Jr and Sweeney recently.
Instead we get bollocks from the likes of Ed Curran about building the stadium and naming it ‘the Stadium of Peace’ etc.
barf!Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 05:51 PMPounder, what would be the point in them being there?
Would any of the media report on the questions they asked that inevitably wouldn’t be answered (like, “what makes you think this is remotely feasible?”). Of course not. Would the media even have reported that there was no feasibility study or business case available yet? Probably not. They’d just report what the executive wants them to, like the good little lapdogs they are and like they’ve been doing for the NIO all along. “Ooh look at all those pictures of the pretty stadium we could get, aren’t we lucky?”
Why should the committee play along with the minister’s plan to use them to get a PR boost for his own pet project?
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 06:24 PMMedia outlets running with the standard ‘Unionists anti-H-block’ reports and ignoring the various other reasons for binning the Maze and supporting a stadium in Belfast. Still, easier to paint objectors as politically motivated dinosaurs (as said above) rather than deal with their arguments. Nice to see that some DUPers aren’t all falling into line on this.
Any chance now of seeing some figures for this site, a concrete study of the type that has been put forward for other locations, as opposed to some shiny pictures and a powerpoint?
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 07:15 PM“Still, easier to paint objectors as politically motivated dinosaurs (as said above) rather than deal with their arguments”
dm
some of the unionist/loyalist objectors here seem happy using political reasons for their arguements against the maze. Not surprising that the are ardent followers of the n.i soccer team as well, the two seem to go hand in hand.
dr who - “I for one can´t really give a toss if the provos get their terror shrine.”
p&j;- “if Poots wants to go ahead with the Maze development then the terrorist shrine must go. If he allows it to go ahead with the shrine to the SF IRA death squads then he’ll have an interesting tim”
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 07:52 PMMark - I was referring to the unionist walkout today at Stormont, not individuals posting on here.
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 07:58 PMP&J;:While Belfast is the best location for the stadium (for the atmosphere, general economy, transport links etc), the bottom line is that if Poots wants to go ahead with the Maze development then the terrorist shrine must go. <<
Totally agree. They need a H-Block museum there instead.
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 08:26 PMOn a practical note, given the amount of rain in Northern Ireland, can we have a roof like Cardiff?
P&J;The stadium should be constructed in an underground tunnel.
Problems solved come rain or shrine
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 08:29 PMGreat performance once again Edwin, the anti-Maze lobby couldn’t have asked for a better minister really.
Wouldn’t it have made more sense (if the figures stacked up, of course) to wait until the publication of the two months late business-plan before presenting the artwork?
If the figures stacked up, of course.
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 09:42 PMWhat’s all this nonsence about the figures. Do they actually think the think will get built without a huge cash injection from the government? Does someone actually think it’ll be cheaper to build in Belfast?
The numbers are irrelevant. The govt has said they’ll provide the cash to build it at the maze and no where else.
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 10:17 PMRegardless of the arguments for and against a stadium at the maze-somebody put this on the agenda for todays meeting.How much is this going to cost the people of N Ireland?how much of our money has been spent on this to date?.Is this a ministerial decision or is Mr Poots acting in his capacity as an MLA for the area-its just not clear to me as we have already seen other dup ministers getting involved in other areas in their capacity as the local MLA.there needs to be some clear demarkation lines drawn.
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 10:36 PMgram,
What’s all this nonsence about the figures.I’m not sure if that was a genuine or rhetorical question.
From the BBC, July this year:Speaking on BBC’s Inside Politics, Mr Robinson said the executive would make the decision based on affordability and value for money.
And you can obviously only make such a decision after being presented with “the figures”.
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 11:05 PMgram - “They need a H-Block museum there ...”
I’ve no desire to have a shrine to Sinn Fein IRA murdering terrorists. Obviously you do. But who would have thought a DUP minister would be the one behind it.
Also, there is no reason to have a stadium which includes the GAA given their different requirements in terms of pitch size.
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 11:10 PMMark
Can you tell me why the shrine to terrorists should be linked to a new stadium.
What I was saying and you know it is there should be no link. The costs of any new stadium, infrastructures in existing facilities, transport links etc not to mention centres of population are more important than a white elephant beside a shrine to murderers.
Posted by on Dec 13, 2007 @ 11:14 PM
