Political will exists to ‘unleash potential’ of former Maze Prison site, says O’Neill

By Jonathan McCambridge, PA

The political will exists to “unleash the potential” of the former Maze Prison site, Michelle O’Neill has said.

The Northern Ireland First Minister updated MLAs at Stormont on future plans for the regeneration of the site near Lisburn, Co Down.

Political disagreement over the future of the grounds of the former prison which held scores of paramilitary prisoners during the Troubles has halted major redevelopment.

While some of the site has been utilised for Balmoral Park for the annual agriculture show and by the Ulster Aviation Society, a large part of the site, including where former prison buildings stand, remains derelict.

The DUP blocked plans to build a peace centre at the Maze in 2013 over claims it would become a “shrine to terrorism”.

It emerged recently that the Maze Long Kesh Development Corporation met in April with senior officials from National Museums NI (NMNI).

Asked to update the Assembly, Ms O’Neill said she and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly had met the corporation in the summer to “hear their thinking on a road map for the future”.

She added: “We will discuss next steps with officials in due course.

“The future use of the listed and retained buildings will obviously form part of that wider discussion.

“We have been very clear we must build on the common ground that I think we all share in terms of realising the potential of the site for the benefit of all.

“We are absolutely committed to working with the corporation to achieve what we think is the huge potential of the site.”

Ulster Unionist Lord Elliott asked if there was a time frame for progress on when the site might be developed.

Ms O’Neill said: “I think we have all collectively joined up and said we want to maximise the potential from the site, that it can be a huge catalyst for economic development and growth and very much aligned to our own programme for government.

“I think we can do all of the above, I think we can find a way to unleash the potential of the site, being sensitive to the listed buildings and making sure that we develop it as best as we possibly can.

“We had that initial meeting with the board, we intend to continue that engagement, we are talking to our own officials also.”

She added: “In terms of time frame, it is quite a large infrastructure and quite a large project.

“I don’t think it is something we will turn over overnight but certainly there is a political will to work together to develop the site and we are collectively committed to ensuring we can do that.”