SDLP vote against GAA community development in North Belfast

Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín has slammed the decision by the SDLP, at Belfast City Council tonight to vote against the proposed GAA community development in North Belfast at the Cricky Pitch on the Clintonville Road. The much needed development would have seen changing facilities built at the site and the site secured in the long term for sporting use by the local community.

Ms Ní Chuilín said:

“This vote was absolutely the wrong thing to do. The proposal to develop this land was backed by the local primary school, Bunscoil Beann Mhadagáin, a number of north Belfast GAA clubs and the local community. The delivery of such a development was very much needed.

“Currently the site attracts anti social behaviour, there are no changing facilities and children have to change at the side of the road in family cars which is wholly in adequate. Furthermore, in its current state senior Gaelic football cannot be played on the site and the GAA Antrim Camogie board has banned Camogs from using it as they consider it unsafe.

“For years in North Belfast there has been endemic discrimination in terms of resources which Sinn Fein has sought to tackle on behalf of the local community. The SDLP have now thrown their hat in with the people who would deny this community the much needed resources and have reinforced the lack of equality within north Belfast.

“The SDLP need to tell this community how they believed this was not a worthy development, which would have utilised a valuable piece of ground in a built up area, and transformed it into a first class community sports facility for GAA, school and local activities.”