Northern Ireland minister says £25m sport sustainability fund is on schedule

Northern Ireland's Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has confirmed that the assessment of applications from the sport sector to the £25M Sports Sustainability Fund, is on track.

The fund, which was designed in partnership with the sports Governing Bodies including the IFA, GAA and Ulster Rugby, is being administered by Sport NI. It is designed to help clubs and governing bodies who have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Minister said: “The Sports Sustainability Fund has attracted significant interest with Sport NI receiving hundreds of applications from a diverse range of affiliated sports clubs through their respective Governing Bodies.

“The fund aims to provide financial support to sustain Governing Bodies and their clubs impacted by the ongoing Covid restrictions. It will help mitigate against the net losses that the sector has suffered.

“Sport NI are working at pace to assess the applications which are complex given the diverse nature of sport, and will be completed shortly with payments commencing before the end of February as planned.

“The Sustainability Fund will provide much needed financial support to the sector and will help sustain it so that when the time is right and it is safe we can all get back to being active, training, taking part in competitions or simply going to a game.”