The now abandoned Maze stadium project cost the taxpayer over £3.5m in consultancy fees. The Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) paid out that sum to planning consultants for the project over the past three years.

In addition, a Belfast advertising firm was paid more than £10,000 for advice on the naming rights for the stadium, despite work never having started.

A proposal to built a stadium for soccer, Gaelic football and rugby at the site of the former Maze prison site was shelved earlier this year.

The DCAL minister at the time Gregory Campbell told department officials that the cost estimated at between £156m and £193m would not be compensated by the social and economic benefits.

He instead proposed to give money to each of the governing bodies to redevelop their own facilities.

However, his predecessor and party colleague Edwin Poots and the direct rule administration before him were broadly in favour of a multi sports stadium at the Maze.

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That led to millions of pounds being spent to pave the way for the development.

The biggest fee was paid to engineering and planning consultants, Mott MacDonald.

As well as £2,417,634 for "design" costs in 2007-8, the firm were also paid £726,566 for "business planning" costs a year earlier.

Belfast-based advertising firm Fire IMC were paid £10,000 for advice on how naming rights to the new stadium could be financially exploited.

The other consultancy costs incurred by the department include £181,302 to KPMG/Davis Langdon for "programme management" and a further £17,943 to the same company for a purpose not revealed.

Management consultants Price Waterhouse Coopers were paid £196, 935 for "business planning" work, while the same company charged £1,491 for its employees to brief the minister on the work it had carried out.

In January this year the then Minister's decision had already come in for criticism. Sinn Féin MLA Barry McElduff, who then chaired the Assembly Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee, said this "will have far reaching ramifications for local sporting bodies and for the construction industry".

He said the Long Kesh stadium issue had become embroiled in an internal DUP row between Mr Campbell and other senior colleagues to the detriment of both sport and the local construction industry who would have benefited from this plan.

See: SF Slams Minister As Maze Stadium Plans Axed as well as 10 other previous stories listed on the January Maze coverage.

(BMcc/GK)