DUP Ministers and Assembly members yesterday rejected Sinn Féin criticism of a DUP ministerial decision that could see a DUP member being granted permission to develop a private visitor centre at the Giant's Causeway in Co Antrim.
The controversy flows from decisions made by DUP Ministers Nigel Dodds and Arlene Foster on Monday that leave north Antrim businessman Seymour Sweeney in prime position to develop the centre at Northern Ireland's only world heritage site.
Minister for Enterprise Mr Dodds announced that plans to build a £21 million publicly-funded visitor centre at the Giant's Causeway, which attracts 500,000 visitors annually, were dropped. The centre was to replace a facility which burned down in 2000. To date £1.2 million has been spent on plans to build the new centre with Dublin firm Heneghan Peng Architects winning the design contract.
Minister for the Environment Ms Foster announced that she was "minded" to grant Seaport Investments Ltd, run by Mr Sweeney, permission to develop a centre privately.
Mr Sweeney confirmed yesterday that he is a DUP member and knows First Minister, the Rev Ian Paisley, the local MP, and his son, Ian Paisley jnr, a North Antrim MLA. He also said that a number of years ago Mr Paisley jnr bought a property from him near Bushmills, Co Antrim, and that he paid the full market price.
He also confirmed that he had signed election nomination papers for a DUP councillor but said he had never given money to the DUP. A company representative said Mr Sweeney had never met or spoken to Mr Dodds or Ms Foster. He added: "He is appalled as a property developer at this attempt to besmirch his company and activities when all he has ever sought to do is provide top-class tourist facilities and construct residential dwellings of the highest standard".
Sinn Féin MLA Daithí McKay told the Assembly he wanted "to place on public record my clear concern about the conflict of interest between two DUP Ministers being involved in the possible awarding of this multimillion-pound visitor centre to Seymour Sweeney, a senior DUP member and benefactor.
"The question has to be asked, do we really want to hand over the multimillion-pound benefits of Ireland's world heritage site to a private developer and take away vital revenue strands for the people of Moyle [ council area]," he said. He called for the original project to proceed.
During the debate Mr Paisley jnr and Mr Dodds strongly defended their position, arguing that it would be good for the area, good for tourism, and that it would save taxpayers' money.
Mr Paisley jnr accused critics of the private venture of attacking the applicant rather than the application, and said Mr Sweeney's membership of the DUP had no bearing on the issue.
Mr Dodds said it would be "simply wrong to commit further taxpayers' money on a project which it appeared likely would not be required. The rationale for the government's involvement as a developer of last resort is no longer compelling."
Ms Foster threatened legal action against anyone who questioned her bona fides in the matter. "There have been reports, in some sections of the media, which might have implied to some that I may have allowed other extraneous factors, ie the party political membership of the applicant, to affect my views on this application," she said.
"I totally reject any such implications. I regard them as baseless and scurrilous. I do not know the applicant, have never met him, and know nothing about him," added Ms Foster.