Friday 28 March 2008

Sports bodies score own goal over Maze

The Chief Executives of the Gaelic Athletic Association, Irish Football Association and the Irish Rugby Football Association have declined an invitation to address the Assembly’s Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee about the proposed stadium at the Maze/Long Kesh site – possibly frustrated by the lack of a decision on the proposal.

Some have speculated, however, that this might be an own goal - only a minority on the Committee support the Maze proposal (for example there is nobody on the Committee from the Lagan Valley constituency in which former prison site is situated) and they could easily seek to have the Committee formally oppose the proposal. On the other hand they can not stop a decision to build at Maze.

Mind you, it could well be the case that the officials now believe that the prospects of the idea coming to fruition are now so remote it is simply a waste of time even to discuss it.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Waste of time indeed...proves that the Executive and Assembly (and the CAL committee) are hot as relevant as they think they are to ordinary punters...all praise to the sports chiefs. It is such a sad state of affairs that the planks (sorry MLAs) are so wrapped up in their ivory towers that they cannot see they are wasting an opportunity. May the Good Lord Metal lift their blinkers and let them make a decision. Just once. A decision. Surely it can't be that difficult?