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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Poots 'over-ruled' on Maze site | Poots 'over-ruled' on Maze site |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Sports Minister Edwin Poots is coming under pressure from within the DUP over his support for a multi-sports stadium at the former Maze prison site. | Sports Minister Edwin Poots is coming under pressure from within the DUP over his support for a multi-sports stadium at the former Maze prison site. |
| He has been over-ruled by senior figures who told him to amend a statement he intended to release in which he backed the County Antrim site. | He has been over-ruled by senior figures who told him to amend a statement he intended to release in which he backed the County Antrim site. |
| A 35,000-seater stadium for soccer, GAA and rugby is planned at the Maze, but opponents prefer a location in Belfast. | A 35,000-seater stadium for soccer, GAA and rugby is planned at the Maze, but opponents prefer a location in Belfast. |
| The BBC has been unable to contact Mr Poots who is on holiday in the USA. | The BBC has been unable to contact Mr Poots who is on holiday in the USA. |
| Mr Poots has come under public pressure from senior figures in the DUP who are opposed to his decision to impose a deadline on alternative proposals to the Maze. | Mr Poots has come under public pressure from senior figures in the DUP who are opposed to his decision to impose a deadline on alternative proposals to the Maze. |
| That deadline passed last weekend. | That deadline passed last weekend. |
| The Maze site is in Edwin Poots constituencyOn Wednesday, the government published a technical report on the site selection process from which the Maze was chosen as the preferred location for the stadium. | The Maze site is in Edwin Poots constituencyOn Wednesday, the government published a technical report on the site selection process from which the Maze was chosen as the preferred location for the stadium. |
| The BBC understands Mr Poots wanted to release an accompanying statement which claimed the report confirmed why he had no alternative but to endorse a previous decision to back the Maze. | The BBC understands Mr Poots wanted to release an accompanying statement which claimed the report confirmed why he had no alternative but to endorse a previous decision to back the Maze. |
| However, senior elements in the party intervened. | However, senior elements in the party intervened. |
| BBC Northern Ireland political correspondent Gareth Gordon said: "Instead of being a ringing endorsement of the Maze, the statement which appeared in Mr Poots' name, merely noted the report's publication and recommended that anyone interested should read it. " | BBC Northern Ireland political correspondent Gareth Gordon said: "Instead of being a ringing endorsement of the Maze, the statement which appeared in Mr Poots' name, merely noted the report's publication and recommended that anyone interested should read it. " |
| Belfast City Council said it had received a letter from Mr Poots with regard to a deadline for submitting plans for the new stadium - three days after the deadline passed. | Belfast City Council said it had received a letter from Mr Poots with regard to a deadline for submitting plans for the new stadium - three days after the deadline passed. |
| A council spokesperson said: ¿We were aware from media reports that the minister Edwin Poots had apparently set a date for the end of June. | |
| "Council officers also met Mr Poots recently and no mention of a deadline was made during that meeting | "Council officers also met Mr Poots recently and no mention of a deadline was made during that meeting |
| ¿The fact is that we received no written notification of the deadline or details about the minister¿s information requirements until today." | |
| Last month, a row erupted after the DUP's Nigel Dodds said keeping parts of the jail amounted to "a shrine to IRA hunger strikers". | Last month, a row erupted after the DUP's Nigel Dodds said keeping parts of the jail amounted to "a shrine to IRA hunger strikers". |
| However, Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness said there were no proposals to establish a shrine to paramilitaries at the site of the former Maze prison. | However, Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness said there were no proposals to establish a shrine to paramilitaries at the site of the former Maze prison. |
| Mr Poots had dismissed the criticism from his DUP colleague, saying unionists would not support it if the green light was also given for a conflict transformation centre retaining one of the H-Blocks. | Mr Poots had dismissed the criticism from his DUP colleague, saying unionists would not support it if the green light was also given for a conflict transformation centre retaining one of the H-Blocks. |