Durkan launches petition to refer NI Football Fund decision to the Executive
Mark Durkan has launched a petition to refer the Northern Ireland Football Fund (NIFF) to the Executive for reconsideration.
The petition, which requires 30 signatures to succeed, would compel the Executive to scrutinise Communities Minister Gordon Lyons’ handling of the process to award twenty clubs share of a £36.2million fund for stadium development at Stormont.
Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan said: “This is a significant amount of Executive funding – money that clubs have been waiting on for more than a decade.
"Major clubs like Derry City FC and Coleraine have been left with nothing without explanation, while clubs like Institute and Ards, who don’t even have a ground, faced an uphill battle from the start with criteria that stacked the deck against them."
Mr. Durkan said he was not detracting from the need or merits of clubs successful under the scheme.
But he said: “I have launched this petition because I believe it's an issue of public importance; and to get much-needed scrutiny of the NIFF from the Executive, restore trust, and deliver fair treatment for clubs. I am calling on MLAs from every party to sign this petition.”
The sports minister has defended the allocation of funding.
Speaking in the Assembly this week he said he would consider releasing in full the options and advice he received from officials prior to announcing the final list of 20 clubs.
“It is not what we normally do, simply because of the process, the names involved and the rankings of the clubs. Out of respect to them, we do not normally release information. However, some have questioned the process, and some have tried to inject uncertainty into the process, so it may be necessary for us to do that. I will take advice on that, and we will see where that goes.
"Let me be clear: I will robustly defend the process that was put in place, and I will robustly defend my officials against some of the slurs that have been directed towards them, as I will the clubs that have been successful and have been called into question. I am happy to return to the issue,” said Mr. Lyons.