MP welcomes the formation of Development Corporation

“I am delighted the new development corporation has now been appointed and I have already had an initial meeting with the new Chairman, Terence Brannigan, and am planning further more substantive discussions in the near future,” said Mr Donaldson.

“I am also pleased we have three local people appointed onto the committee, including my colleague Councillor Paul Stewart, local businessman Ken Cleland and former Assistant Chief Constable Duncan McCausland.

“I think Duncan’s appointment is particularly significant because of all the propaganda that has been spread about there being a shrine at the Maze.

“The very idea that someone like Duncan, who served throughout the Troubles and lost many comrades as a result, would countenance an IRA shrine is just a nonsense and I am confident that, together with the veto we have at Stormont and the make up of the Corporation, the development of the Maze will be a positive one in terms of moving forward.

“It will generate a lot of employment for the local community,” continued Mr Donaldson. “We will have the RUAS on site with a show planned for next year and there has been significant interest in terms of commercial investment on the site, which will lead to further job creation.

“I believe the Corporation will be looking at providing sporting and entertainment at the Maze and of course there is the new Peace Centre.

“As the local MP I want to make it absolutely clear that the Peace Centre is going to be located in a purpose built new building and not in the retained buildings,” said Mr Donaldson. “The purpose of the centre will be to promote reconciliation and it most certainly will not be about in anyway glorifying terrorism.

“It will be about learning from mistakes made in the past so that we don’t repeat those mistakes in the future.

“I will be very closely involved in the development of the site as it moves forward and I give this commitment to the people I represent - I will do everything I can, along with the Corporation, to ensure the community gets maximum benefit from this major infrastructure project and there is no question of an IRA shrine being created on the site,” he concluded.