AQW 49562/22-27

Ms Sian Mulholland
Alliance Party
North Antrim

Tabled Date: 24/06/2026
Answered On Date: 06/07/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail any due diligence that was undertaken by his Department before allocating funding to the planned USA 250 concert at Belfast City Hall, including assessment of (i) deliverability; (ii) artist availability; (iii) projected attendance; and (iv) value for money.

Answer:

Following a thorough competitive process, my Department allocated funding towards the costs of the proposed concert. Subsequently, through engagement with the organisers, it became clear that the key elements of the event had altered significantly from the original proposal, including the withdrawal of the headline act. Officials concluded that the revised proposal no longer met the programme criteria, and funding was withdrawn on that basis.