AQO 625/22-27

Mr Colin McGrath
Social Democratic and Labour Party
South Down

Tabled Date: 06/06/2024
Answered On Date: 18/06/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities to outline how much funding his Department will allocate to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council for the Irish Open 2024 in Newcastle.

Answer:

While primary financial support for events is provided by Tourism NI, my Department through Sport NI has been able to support legacy activities for a small number of sporting events in previous years, with the main aim of opening up participation opportunities for under-represented groups in those sports.

However, my Department is facing significant financial pressures and is dealing with an extremely challenging budget for the year ahead and neither my Department or Sport NI currently has any funding opportunities available which Newry, Mourne and Down District Council could apply to for legacy activities around the Irish Open 2024 in Newcastle.

My officials and Sport NI are available to meet with the Council, if it wishes, to explore what other ways that the local community can benefit from the sporting legacy of the event.