Orange Order saved £12m through rates support

The Orange Order has received over £12m in rates relief over the past decade-and-a-half, the Finance Minister Conor Murphy has confirmed.

The Minister provided details of the savings in response to an Assembly Question tabled by the South Down MLA Jim Wells.

Mr. Wells asked the Minister of Finance to detail “the total savings that have accrued to the trustees of Orange Halls since the introduction of rates relief for the majority of these buildings”.

Mr. Murphy responded that rates relief were introduced just under 14 years ago and that millions have been saved since then.

“Since the introduction in April 2006 of Article 41A of the Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977, the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland has received rates support of £12.16 million (as at 19th January 2020),” he said.

The legislation provides relief to groups using buildings for “public, charitable or certain other purposes.”