By Conor Sharkey

THE Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has admitted not spending a single penny on the preservation of the Sion Mills Stables over the past 20 years.

The news came to light following a Freedom of Information request to the NIEA, formerly the Environment and Heritage Service, by this newspaper.

The Freedom of Information enquiry was made after it emerged that under Article 80 of the Planning Order, the EHS was legally entitled to carry out urgent repairs to keep the building "wind, weatherproof and safe from collapse".

These powers were never employed and years of neglect and deterioration resulted in much of the historic building crashing to the ground last month.

Although the NIEA has now admitted doing nothing to preserve the Sion Stables, they have estimated that it will cost them around £50,000 to salvage what remains of the Listed Building.

Once the building has been secured, it will be handed to Building Preservation Trust Hearth who are aiming to restore it, complete with the village clock tower, to its former glory.

As to why absolutely nothing was done to preserve the Stable Block, NIEA said they had worked with the owner John Withy for many years in the hope that an amicable solution could be reached.

News that nothing was done over a 20 year period, despite their full knowledge of the precarious state of the Stables, will only heap further embarrassment on the former Environment and Heritage Service.

And head of the Sion Mills Building Preservation Trust Celia Ferguson said yesterday she hopes lessons have been learnt.

"It has been a learning curve for the them and unfortunately that has been at the expense of the people of Sion Mills.

"But the outcome is the important thing and they seem to be doing all they can now to protect the remaining fabric of the building.

"Hearth have assured me that salvaging the Stables is well within their power and I now look forward to seeing it in the various stages of resurrection," Ms Ferguson said.