Gordon Lyons
East Antrim · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Implementing other recommendations will require further legislation that, I trust, will come in the next mandate, but I can confirm that 60 of the recommendations have already been separately addressed by either the Department or the commission. I hope that that answers his questions.”
“Yes, I do and am happy to share those. The issue has been raised in the Chamber and through Assembly questions. My position is that we want to make it simple and straightforward for people.”
“They also introduce greater flexibility in financial reporting, allowing requirements to be tailored more appropriately, reducing burdens on smaller organisations and ensuring that the system can adapt over time through secondary legislation.”
“If they want to constitute as a Northern Ireland-only charity, they are able to do that, if they believe that that will bring certain benefits.”
“That is similar to what we are trying to do with trustees. Even though you leave your position as a trustee or your position as someone who holds an office in a charity or who has employment in the office, the commissioner will still be able to make a determination that says, "Even though you have left, we are still making this order to t…”
“I do not believe that it was. That was maybe picked up wrong. We are happy to look at and explore that, but that is the information that I have on it. Again, we will have the Committee Stage of the legislation, so we can look into that then.”
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“My goodness, we have a positive Mr McNulty today. He is in good form. That is great to see. Of course, is it any wonder that he is in good form? We have a good announcement and a Minister who is driving forward investment in sport and looking at new and innovative ways to ensure that sport is funded in a way that makes a difference to communities across Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />Yes, I will be — oh, there we have it: typical negativity from Mr Durkan, who is shaking his head. I am very positive about what we are able to do. We will get on and deliver it. Mr McNulty is absolutely right to say that this should be for supporting people of all ages and from all backgrounds across all sports. I look forward to doing that.”
“Yes, I have engaged with Southern counterparts around possibilities for the Shared Island Fund to be used for sport. The Member will be aware, I hope, that, in the next few weeks, further announcements could be made about opportunities for Northern Ireland that have a cross-border element. He will have to wait and see. I will, of course, bring it to the House so that there can be proper scrutiny of that announcement.”
“That is certainly my intention. I want to see it go forward, because this funding allocation alone will not meet all the need that exists or the future need. It is certainly my intention, as long as I am in post, to ensure that it can continue. We can tweak it, improve it and look at what might need to change. I see the demand, and I want to meet it. Let us see how far it can go. Certainly, my intention is to keep it going.”
“We will use the crowdfunding platform. I know that that might be new to some people, which is why Sport NI will be on hand to offer guidance and advice to ensure that they are not disadvantaged in any way.”
“I congratulate the Member's constituent, and I look forward to being invited to that event. I was delighted to join the Member a few months ago, and it was an excellent and inspiring visit. Huge credit has to go to those who give up their time to ensure that that is organised. They are under a lot of pressure with facilities and all the other requirements that are on them. Huge congratulations to them and to all those who are involved in sport throughout Northern Ireland and give up their time. <BR /> <BR />The Member is absolutely right to ask that question. I can confirm that the fund will be open to all groups that are affiliated with sport. I look forward to seeing those applications coming in and, hopefully, that being taken forward, because sport is for everybody.”
“We will not have scoring criteria; it is a rolling application. Essentially, projects will come forward, and we will then allocate money. If the criteria and the crowdfunding requirements are met, those projects will go forward.”
“I am happy to do that. I have heard about the need that exists in hockey, as, unfortunately, it does in a lot of other sports. Certainly, hockey clubs will be able to apply, because what the Member mentioned certainly meets the criteria. I look forward to being able to deliver for hockey, as well as many other sports, and, hopefully, getting to the position where we are able to add to the fund as time goes on, so that all that need can be met.”
“I am grateful to the Member for raising that issue. I have been to the Barbarians Wrestling Club. I did not take part on that night, because it was mostly seven- to 10-year-olds who were there. I fancied my chances, but I did not take part. <BR /> <BR />That is exactly what we are trying to do. We are trying to help clubs that are in need. That is the type of equipment that that club needs, although I know that it has other challenges as well when it comes to some of its space. We are trying to make sure that such clubs have equipment. I do not want young people to be turned away from taking part in a sport in which they may do really well and go really far simply because of a lack of equipment. That is why we are bringing the fund in. It will absolutely be able to help clubs such as Barbarians and others.”
“Absolutely. I hope that I have reiterated that. In my statement, I outlined the fact that I want to make sure that everybody knows about the fund and is aware of it. We will certainly promote it through departmental and Sport NI channels. I hope that all Members take the opportunity to encourage people to apply.”
“No, I hope that it will not be a barrier and that many people in the area will get behind it. It will depend on the overall funding that is required for the club. In setting the amount that needs to be brought in by crowdfunding, we tried to find that balance to make sure that clubs had a stake in it and a contribution to make. At the same time, we tried to make sure that it was not out of reach for some people. We believe that where that has landed is fair. <BR /> <BR />Again, I decided to go ahead, test it and try it out, because I saw an issue and a problem in that a lot of clubs were not getting the support that they required. I am bringing the fund forward. It is new, and, as I said, I will keep it under review.”
“I am grateful to the Member for that question. Crowdfunder is the platform that we are using. We will look into any issues that exist in relation to fees, but I hope that she can understand the need for us to ensure that a contribution is made. As I said in my previous answer, this fund is something new. We have not done this sort of thing before. I am willing to try these things out, to test them to see what works and does not work and to bring in additional requirements or additional flexibilities if required. All that can be kept under consideration and, if necessary, reviewed.”
“Absolutely. I appreciate the Member raising that issue, because it is important that everyone is aware of the fund and that all clubs feel that they have the ability to apply on an equal basis. There will certainly be monitoring of the fund and the applicants to make sure that there is a fair spread. I have said before that many people contact me asking what funds are available but nothing is there. A lot of clubs make a huge difference to the lives of people in their local community. That will be monitored. We look at that at the minute. We are testing the process and allowing people to apply, but if changes need to be made, I will make sure that they are made.”
“Applicants need to be not-for-profit groups, whether that is a sports club or a charity, and they need to ensure that they are delivering a sporting element in sports that are recognised by Sport NI. It is very simple and straightforward, and I will be more than happy to ensure that, if necessary, officials are made available to brief the Committee further. However, it is a very simple and straightforward process.”
“First, I assure the Member that I will never hide my light under a bushel. I will always be forward in telling people what I am doing. I am here today, without any media statements having been released about it beforehand, because I wanted to come to the House first, because I am answerable to the House. The statement was not released beforehand, and I took the opportunity to come here first, because I wanted to hear from Members. I am more than happy to make sure that all Members are aware of what I am able to deliver on behalf of communities right across Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />The criteria for the fund are very simple. Applicants need to be operating in Northern Ireland, and it needs to benefit people in Northern Ireland.”
“It will be a rolling programme, and I will certainly not be opposed to intervening to make sure that, if we are not seeing the interest that we would like from certain sports or categories or if there is a geographical imbalance, I look at resources that can be put in place so that people are aware of the funding opportunities that I am now making available.”
“First, it is important to note that all eligible clubs and groups across Northern Ireland, regardless of geography or sport, will be able to apply. It is certainly my intention to make sure that we see a wide spread geographically and across different sports and all communities. I have been in this position a long time now, and people come to me and ask, "Is there any funding available for my club?", and I have to say that there is nothing available at this time or that there are no funding opportunities available through Sport NI. That is why I have introduced the fund and what I am trying to change. <BR /> <BR />The fund will be monitored as we go.”
“However, I want their true legacy to be measured in the opportunities that we now create, in the clubs that grow stronger, in the facilities that are modernised and in the communities that come together through sport. The fund represents a significant investment in that future, and I look forward to seeing it deliver for communities across Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />I commend the statement to the House.”
“Applications are now open, and Sport NI will oversee the process, providing guidance and support to ensure that clubs of all sizes and capacities can benefit. I expect the first awards to be made later this financial year, with projects beginning to deliver benefits for communities very soon thereafter. <BR /> <BR />The Olympic legacy fund is about far more than bricks, mortar and equipment. It is about harnessing the inspiration of our athletes and investing it directly back into our communities. It is about giving everybody opportunity, whether to pursue their goal of standing on an Olympic or Paralympic podium, competing at a local club or simply enjoying the lifelong benefits of sport. The achievements of our medal winners, along with all the Olympians and Paralympians who competed in Paris, will be remembered for many years.”
“Applicants must be not-for-profit sports clubs, community groups or charities and must deliver activity that is affiliated to a sport that is recognised by Sport NI. They must be based in Northern Ireland and deliver benefits to people here. Awards will range from £1,000 to £50,000, and each successful project will receive 65% of its funding as a grant from the Department via Sport NI, with the applicant raising the remaining 35% through community crowdfunding. That crowdfunding element is an innovative aspect of the fund. It allows local communities to show their support for projects, builds wider engagement and ownership and leverages additional investment into grassroots sport. Crowdfunder UK's platform makes that process straightforward and accessible for communities across Northern Ireland.”
“That is precisely the kind of practical local benefit that I want to see come from our athletes' success. <BR /> <BR />I wanted to go further, however, and ensure that the momentum is not a one-off but, rather, the beginning of something enduring. That is why I secured £1 million of capital investment in the June 2025 budget for the creation of the Olympic legacy fund, which I officially launched yesterday at the Pavilion in the Stormont estate. The fund will be delivered by Sport NI in partnership with Crowdfunder UK, which is the leading online rewards-based crowdfunding platform in the UK. It will support sports clubs and community groups in modernising facilities, purchasing essential equipment and strengthening the infrastructure that is needed to increase participation and performance.”
“Our Olympic story stretches back through the decades, from the golden triumph of Lady Mary Peters in Munich in 1972 to the brilliance that we witnessed in Paris. It is a legacy that we must nurture and extend to future generations. With that in mind, I committed £100,000 to recognise our six Olympic medallists through the Olympic medallist fund, which was announced at the celebration event. Each medallist nominated a grassroots club or project to benefit from the fund, thus ensuring that their success directly inspired investment in communities across Northern Ireland. For example, swimmer Daniel Wiffen, who brought home both gold and bronze medals, directed £25,000 to St Patrick's Grammar School in Armagh, his former school, where it will help establish a new gym facility.”
“It will create a lasting legacy for sport in Northern Ireland, building on the successes of our Olympians at Paris 2024 and strengthening the infrastructure and resources available to our clubs. <BR /> <BR />Last October, I was immensely proud to host a celebration reception at the SSE Arena to honour all our athletes, coaches and support staff who represented Northern Ireland in Paris. We applauded not only our six medallists but every athlete who had the honour of competing. That evening confirmed for me the depth of pride and inspiration that our athletes make people feel and the responsibility that we have to ensure that their success leads to lasting benefits for sport in our communities.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I wish to make a statement to provide the Assembly with information about my Department's Olympic legacy fund. Elite athletes inspire us all. They show us that, through talent, hard work and determination, it is possible to reach the very highest levels of achievement. In Northern Ireland, our athletes once again proved that on the world stage at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Their success inspired pride across every community in Northern Ireland, and I want us to harness that pride, determination and sense of possibility in order to help the next generation of athletes flourish. The Olympic legacy fund is about doing just that.”
“We may be using a slightly different calculator. From looking at construction inflation figures, I think that we got almost twice the benefit that we could have got. Regardless, we could have done so much more had we had that money in place then. Right now, I am delivering what I can out of what I have. I hope that more funding will become available from different sources, whether those be funding from my Department, financial transactions capital or money that clubs can raise themselves. I will, however, make sure that, whatever happens, the programme will proceed on the basis of fairness. I hope that that provides an assurance to the Member and everyone else in the House.”
“They cannot help themselves, Mr Deputy Speaker. They do not want to hear what we are doing. <BR /> <BR />I am interested in moving the programme forward for everybody. I am not pitting people against one other, as Mr Durkan wrote in his online commentary at the weekend. I will be here. I will make myself available to sit down and work with colleagues to see what can be done, to explain to them the process that was in place and to make sure that we can move forward. What all the clubs want to see now is how everybody can move to the next stage.”
“I am grateful to the Member for his question. I thank him for realising that we have progressed the fund and moved it on for everybody. He is not like others in the Chamber who have sought to disparage other clubs. He is not like others in the Chamber who have tried to denigrate the work of officials in my Department. Instead, he looks for practical things that we can do, the ways in which we can move things forward and the options that are available to us so that we can make sure that we meet footballing need.”
“I have done what nobody else has managed to do before and progressed the programme. The SDLP Members are a disgrace.”
“It is right that people take time to consider what has happened and that they take up the offer to engage with us. The SDLP, however, has shown its true colours today through what its Members are saying. I am here to support all clubs. I want to see all clubs progress. It is clear that the SDLP is interested only in trying to score points and to win votes out of all of this.”
“It was certainly long before the discrimination and bigotry of the SDLP was clear for everybody to see. I have said that in the House. Decisions on this matter were made long before last week, long before the bigotry and discrimination by SDLP and Sinn Féin members of the council were clear for everybody to see. <BR /> <BR />Mr Deputy Speaker, may I comment on the respectful way in which most Members across the House have engaged with me today?”
“I hope that I have made it clear how the process worked and part of the timeline. It was certainly”
“It was long before the SDLP decided that it did not want the British Army nearby. That is what we saw last week”
“It was long before last week. It was long before the SDLP decided”
“Well, let me give you the clarity. I do not have the date on which the decision was made, but it was long before”
“My goodness. Is the Member actually implying that, with two days to go before the announcement, everything was completely changed in order for that to be the outcome?”
“He does not seem to like that, so I will say it again. In 14 months, I have taken this further forward than it has been at any stage over the past 14 years. I am getting on with it. I am delivering on my promise. Just think what we would have been able to do had the funding been in place from 2011.”
“Fourteen years — Mr Durkan is shaking his head, but it is the case that the funding was held up for 14 years. I am in post, and, in 14 months, I have taken it —”
“Yes, I am more than happy to meet the Member and his constituency colleague, Mr Kingston, along with Crusaders. He asked a very pertinent question about how many more projects could be taken forward. That is hard to quantify, because it would depend exactly on the sums involved. If we look at the estimates, however, based on construction inflation over the past 14 years, I believe that the fund has probably lost about half of its value. That is absolutely shameful. It is a shame that that has happened. How many more projects would we have been able to take forward had that not been the case? More than that, think of the projects that would already have been in place and the benefits that they would already be delivering in their communities.”
“<BR /> <BR />Another reason why I over-planned is that we do not know whether the amount that the clubs have said that they need will ultimately be the amount that they need or will be able to spend on their project. We do not know exactly when some of the match funding — partnership funding — will become available. However, I am committed to making sure that we move this forward as quickly as possible. We have waited far too long for this, and I want to make sure that there is no hold up as far as the Department is concerned.”
“I hope that I have set out the approach that I intend to take to the clubs that were not successful. For those that were successful, it is impossible for me to say when funding will be released. First, that will be done in stages. There will be an opportunity for clubs to draw down funding to help with business cases, for example, and other work that might be needed. The exact quantum of that and of what would be needed for construction cannot be identified at this stage, because, as I outlined in my statement, we need to go through the business case and make sure that it shows value for money and that there are no other sources of funding that could be available to the club. All those things need to be taken into consideration.”
“I understand the strength of feeling out there, and it is important to note first that there was a facility for those clubs to demonstrate footballing need, with separate scoring for those that had a ground and those that did not. There was an opportunity, which many clubs took up, to talk about their potential and say, "If we had our own ground, here is what we could do and what we would be able to achieve". That was taken into consideration in the scoring. That is why it is important that we meet the clubs, hear their concerns and make sure that we all work together to make sure that the need is met. I get that for Ards; I get that for Institute and others. You have, in me, a Minister who is willing to work with whoever I need to work with to make sure that we get this done. That is my assurance today.”
“Absolutely not. Nothing has been changed since the launch of the applications on 30 January 2025. The scoring matrix and guidance notes are still available on the Department's web page for anyone who wishes to see exactly what the criteria were for applicants and how their applications would be scored.”
“It is important to note that selection was not based on footballing need alone. That was part of the criteria, but it was also based on finance and community benefits. There will be mechanisms in place to make sure of those as part of the due diligence checks and the other parts that come along, because, of course, we still have to go through business cases, and all that will be taken into consideration then.”
“As I have outlined a number of times, I believe that we have had a very robust process. As regards the scoring — the matrix — that was used, the fact that clubs were in favour and support of the criteria that were put in place, in the first instance, means that we have something that is very robust. Look: I get the disappointment and frustration that exists. Unfortunately, that was inevitable. Unless I was in the position where I could take everybody forward, there were always going to be those who were disappointed. I am pledging to work with all clubs, Members and Executive colleagues to ensure that we do everything that we can to meet that need.”
“I am sorry that I am unable to give the Member some of those timelines at present. We will need to see how things progress and how quickly we get through this cohort before we can decide whether more clubs can move up. We also need to explore issues around borrowing to see what other clubs are able to put in. If some of the clubs that have been successful can reduce what is there, that might open up more opportunities for other clubs. As I have said, I will leave no stone unturned because I see the value of this and the benefits that it brings. I want to work alongside those clubs. I want to work alongside Members as well. I want to see that progress. There is a way forward for us. I hope that others will join me in doing everything that we can to ensure that that happens.”
“I share the disappointment, believe you me. I know the impact that this can have on people, clubs and communities. I will do everything that I can to work with him to ensure that we deliver for Institute and other clubs that were unsuccessful, just like we are delivering for clubs that were successful.”
“I thank the Member for his approach to the issue, because I know that there is bitter disappointment about what has happened. I know the work that he has put in. Last year, he invited me up to meet the club. I saw that for myself. That is one of the reasons why I wanted to ensure that there was a level playing field and that the same number of points were available to clubs that have their own home as to those that do not. I wanted to ensure balance there. I am more than happy to sit down with him, chat through the scoring process and provide my assurance that we will do everything that we can to move this forward for everybody. I believe that options are available to enable us to progress more clubs and ensure that those that are in that cohort can progress as well. I will certainly do everything that I can on that.”
“Different options were presented to me. It is fair to say that I wanted to get as many of those moving forward as possible. That is why we have such an extensive list. My role in the process was to make sure that as many clubs were available as possible. I understand the concern that exists around the fact that so many projects in tiers 1 and 2 seem to have been taken forward compared with those in tier 3. That is because of the value of those projects. Some of them are much smaller in value, and it will be easier for us to take them forward. We wanted to make sure that we had that balance. My officials and I are more than happy to meet those who are concerned and to make sure that they understand the next steps.”
“Here we are in 2025, and none of that has been drawn down yet. I was determined to do something about that. I am glad that we are getting to this stage. That should be welcomed by everybody, because everybody is on the travelator. Some are now moving on to the prioritised cohort, but everybody is moving in the right direction, because we are moving it forward. That should be welcomed.”
“The simple answer is that I never held the money to ransom. That is exactly what happened in the past. For 14 years, we had no movement on the Northern Ireland Football Fund or the subregional programme, as it was back then. I did something about that. I know that there are clubs that are disappointed; I get that. I understand that there are those that have not moved forward, but the programme has moved forward overall more than it has ever moved in the past, because I was determined to get it done. How it was held up was absolutely shameful. <BR /> <BR />I was in the Chamber in 2015, and, in one of my first questions for oral answer, I asked when the programme would move forward. I was told that money could start to be drawn down by clubs the next year, which would have been spring 2016.”
“There is a huge financial ask. We have a limited budget, but I want people to know that I will try everything that I can to make sure that we get that funding together so that the need is met, because it impacts on real people. For years, I have seen at first hand the change and difference that it can make in people's lives. Many of the football clubs that we are talking about are not just there on Friday evenings and Saturday afternoons. They are not just for the senior teams. Many people benefit from them, and I want to help everybody right across Northern Ireland.”