The Causeway Coast and Glens Council has given the go-ahead for a new art leisure centre to be developed in Dungiven, Co L'Derry.

Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Ó hOisín has welcomed the announcement.

She said: "I recently hosted representatives of the local sports clubs who were involved in the campaign at Stormont and brought them to meet with my party colleagues deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and Culture, Arts and Leisure Minister Carál Ní Chuilín.

"The majority of the funding for this project is coming from Carál Ní Chuilín and is further evidence of Sinn Féin's commitment to invest in leisure and strengthen local communities."

Ulster Unionist Councillor William McCandless said: "The Ulster Unionist grouping on Causeway Coast & Glens supported this project from day one, and we are glad to see it finally get the go ahead.

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"Our only concern had been to protect the ratepayers of the Borough, and once we became aware that there was a £339k shortfall, we were unable to vote for the scheme to proceed at that stage, because we could not give preferential treatment to Dungiven at the expense of other equally worthy projects.

"We tasked Council officers to secure additional funding from the DCAL Minister to make up the deficit. We were always conscious of the concern from other councillors and the residents of Dungiven. This concern prompted four Ulster Unionist councillors to attend a recent public meeting in Dungiven and address concerns and engage with the community.

"After this meeting we again urged our Council officers to continue to engage with DCAL to assure them of our willingness to get this project over the line with the proviso that the ratepayers of the borough would not be burdened with the cost.

"We are delighted to announce that our persistence and perseverance has been rewarded as DCAL has now issued a letter guaranteeing funding of an additional £350K which Council can use to progress with another project and keep the Dungiven project cost neutral to the ratepayer."

(CD/LM)