AQW 31428/22-27

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 17/09/2025
Answered On Date: 09/10/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities (i) to clarify the term rolling funding, as promoted during his responses to questions on his statement on the Olympic Legacy Fund on 16 September 2025; and (ii) to detail if he has agreement that any underspent funding can be taken forward across financial years.

Answer:

This issue is an operational matter for Sport NI, which will be responsible for delivering the Olympic Legacy Fund on behalf of my Department.

I have sought the requested information from the Chief Executive, who has advised me as follows:

“The Olympic Legacy Fund is a rolling programme within this financial year (2025/26). Unlike a traditional grant programme with a short application window, the Olympic Legacy Fund will remain open from now until the end of the financial year, or until the full programme budget has been exhausted. However, all funding must be committed by 31st March 2026.

“Sport NI do not anticipate any underspent funding from the Olympic Legacy Fund. However, there is no agreement that any underspent funding can be taken forward across financial years.”