The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) has slammed the Department for Culture Arts & Leisure (DCAL) for obstructing the search for truth when safety concerns were first raised over the Casement Park development.

It follows the Department's failure to comply with a Freedom of Information request.

Mr Mike Nesbitt MLA confirmed he asked four weeks ago to see a paper trail via a Freedom of Information request.

Mr Nesbitt said: "It has been clear to me for some time that safety expert Paul Scott of Sport NI raised concerns about evacuation times over a year ago with senior officials. If that is the case, it is inconceivable that officials would sit on that knowledge. They would instinctively ensure the Minister was told, and they would do so in writing to ensure there was a paper trail to prove they acted appropriately.

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"DCAL have waited until the deadline for response to inform me they need another four weeks, because they are 'still considering the information that falls within the scope of your request'.

"That is nonsense. The proverbial visitor from Planet Mars wouldn’t need 20 working days to figure out what I'm looking for. It is inconceivable that the Sports Minister was not told of the safety concerns a very long time ago and chose to ignore that information and its implications.

"The Minister has since refined her original position of total ignorance over safety to say she wasn't aware of how serious the concerns were until 30 April this year. In admitting she had some knowledge, she has jumped on a slippery slope and we all know that will end with a hard landing when the full truth emerges."

(CD/MH)