Further blow to Northern Ireland Olympic ambitions

July 29 - Northern Ireland's chances of playing any meaningful role in the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics have practically ended after it was revealed that a £40 million ($63 million) swimming pool in Bangor would not be opened in time for the Games.

It had been hoped that the Olympic-sized pool - the first to be built in Northern Ireland - would attract a major overseas team to train there in the build-up to London 2012.

But it has now been confirmed by North Down Council that the pool will not be ready until the end of the summer in 2012.

It is the second blow to Northern Ireland whose hopes of hosting matches during the Olympic football tournament were ended after plans to build a new national stadium on the site of the old Maze Prison were dropped following a major political row.

Peter Weir, a Demoncratic Unionist Councillor, said: "Whilst we would have hoped it would have been ready, I think there has been a degree of wrong focus.

"People are dwelling on what is happening a month or two before the Olympics rather than the fact this is essentially a legacy project that is going to be there for many years after the event.

"We have got to accept at times we are a small part of the UK and consequently the direct impact of the Olympics will be somewhat limited.

"The idea that Northern Ireland is ultimately ever going to get a major chunk of the activities surrounding the Olympics is, I think, a degree of wishful thinking on some people's parts."

A spokesman for the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure said: "There are already examples of the significant Olympic legacy which has been developed in Northern Ireland.

"The Bangor swimming pool, while it may not be ready for the Olympics, is an important part of this legacy."


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