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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| No Stormont permission for Ulster Aviation Society Maze open days | No Stormont permission for Ulster Aviation Society Maze open days |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| An aviation society show has been cancelled due to a row between the DUP and Sinn Fein over the development of the former Maze Prison site. | |
| The Ulster Aviation Society has cancelled two open days to be held this month after it did not get approval for the events from Stormont. | |
| The use of the site needed permission from the first and deputy first ministers. | |
| The DUP has said it was blocked by Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness. | |
| In August of last year, First Minister Peter Robinson halted plans to build a peace centre as part of the development of the site of the former prison outside Lisburn in County Antrim, a decision that caused tension between his party, the DUP, and Sinn Féin. | |
| Afterwards, Mr McGuinness said no further development of the site would take place "until this is satisfactorily resolved". | |
| The Ulster Aviation Society said 5,000 people attended last year's open day on a Saturday. | |
| This year they wanted to hold it on two days, to allow more enthusiasts the chance to get close to some of its aircraft. | This year they wanted to hold it on two days, to allow more enthusiasts the chance to get close to some of its aircraft. |
| On Tuesday, the DUP's Jeffrey Donaldson said: "The first minister [Peter Robinson] approved the open day but unfortunately it was blocked by the deputy first minister [Martin McGuinness] who said that he couldn't consent to the open day to go ahead in the absence of agreement on what happens to the maintained prison buildings on the Maze site. | |
| "Frankly it is unbecoming of people in government that we have a minister who decides to block an event that is very popular with the public all to make a political point. | "Frankly it is unbecoming of people in government that we have a minister who decides to block an event that is very popular with the public all to make a political point. |
| "I think it is sad, and I have to say petty, that the deputy first minister has decided to punish a charity and punish the public - thousands of whom attend these open days every year - over politics." | "I think it is sad, and I have to say petty, that the deputy first minister has decided to punish a charity and punish the public - thousands of whom attend these open days every year - over politics." |
| 'No a la carte approach' | 'No a la carte approach' |
| Sinn Féin assembly member Caitríona Ruane said her party opposed any new development of the Maze until the peace centre project was given the go-ahead. | Sinn Féin assembly member Caitríona Ruane said her party opposed any new development of the Maze until the peace centre project was given the go-ahead. |
| "Sinn Féin want the Long Kesh/Maze to go ahead, Sinn Féin has constantly and consistently supported this site," she said. | "Sinn Féin want the Long Kesh/Maze to go ahead, Sinn Féin has constantly and consistently supported this site," she said. |
| "Sinn Féin and the DUP, and indeed all the political parties in the executive, have an agreement in relation to the programme for government for the development of the full site, not an a la carte approach and not certain parts of it. | "Sinn Féin and the DUP, and indeed all the political parties in the executive, have an agreement in relation to the programme for government for the development of the full site, not an a la carte approach and not certain parts of it. |
| "Obviously we have supported the Balmoral show because we wanted to honour commitments to them, but Martin McGuinness in the assembly was absolutely clear there will be no further development of the site until the full site is developed as agreed." | "Obviously we have supported the Balmoral show because we wanted to honour commitments to them, but Martin McGuinness in the assembly was absolutely clear there will be no further development of the site until the full site is developed as agreed." |
| 'Absolutely disgusted' | 'Absolutely disgusted' |
| The chair of the Ulster Aviation Society, Ray Burrows, said that after waiting five months for a decision, the uncertainty meant they could not proceed. | The chair of the Ulster Aviation Society, Ray Burrows, said that after waiting five months for a decision, the uncertainty meant they could not proceed. |
| "I am absolutely disgusted. We are an educational society and why we should be dragged into the political arena, which we obviously have been, I just do not know," he said. | "I am absolutely disgusted. We are an educational society and why we should be dragged into the political arena, which we obviously have been, I just do not know," he said. |
| "We've already had three open days at the Maze/Long Kesh site and they were getting bigger and better and we were getting more people in to participate," he said. | "We've already had three open days at the Maze/Long Kesh site and they were getting bigger and better and we were getting more people in to participate," he said. |
| "All of that has had to be postponed just simply because we did not get a decision." | "All of that has had to be postponed just simply because we did not get a decision." |
| The open days were planned for the weekend of 23 and 24 August. | The open days were planned for the weekend of 23 and 24 August. |
| With just over a fortnight to go, Mr Burrows said without confirmation that it could go ahead, the charity could not risk paying out thousands of pounds needed to host the event. | With just over a fortnight to go, Mr Burrows said without confirmation that it could go ahead, the charity could not risk paying out thousands of pounds needed to host the event. |