Ulster Unionist Leader, Mike Nesbitt MLA, has expressed his utter shock that the proposed Peace Building Centre at the Maze is forecast to run at a loss of over £500,000 per year.

Mr Nesbitt said: "Leaving aside the wisdom of basing this peace and conflict transformation centre at the Maze site, it is staggering that the projected running costs will require the taxpayer to cough up a subsidy of £650,000 a year, even if the Centre hits its projected visitor numbers, of over 100,000 a year.’

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"In this day and age, when money is in such short supply, who on earth goes ahead with a project they know will not pay for itself?

"This is madness.

"I have consistently argued that while we need a Peacebuilding Centre, it should be at the site of the old Crumlin Road Goal and Courthouse.

"Yet we sold the Courthouse for a pound some years ago, and now we add insult to injury by asking the taxpayer to stump up what could end up as millions to keep a new facility afloat at the Maze."

(CD/GK)