Sport: Shared Services
Culture, Arts and Leisure
3:30 pm
Judith Cochrane (Alliance)
3. asked the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure whether she would support proposals for the provision of shared sporting services. (AQO 1914/11-15)
Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin)
I fully support proposals for the provision of shared sporting services, which would greatly help to develop sports and improve relations in sport in the North. Under my Department’s strategy for sport, Sport Matters, I am already promoting the provision of shared services and spaces for sport and encouraging all stakeholders to identify opportunities for greater sharing of sports facilities. Sport Matters also proposes, under its “places” pillar, the provision of multi-sports facilities and services that promote community integration. Furthermore, given the present financial climate, with resources becoming increasingly scarce and greater challenges put on them, there is a bigger focus on sharing existing facilities. I am sure that the Member agrees that that makes economic sense.
Judith Cochrane (Alliance)
I thank the Minister for her answer. Following a proposal from some north Belfast schools — St Malachy’s, St Patrick’s and Belfast Royal Academy (BRA) — I wonder whether the Minister has had discussions with her counterpart in the DSD about the provision of some shared sporting facilities on the Girdwood Barracks site?
Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin)
I have had discussions with the three schools that the Member mentioned, as has the Minister for Social Development and most Members for North Belfast. They are very exciting proposals. However, the Member should be aware that those schools are currently sharing their facilities, so they are not waiting for the development of Girdwood. They, and other schools not mentioned, are also sharing facilities; namely, the Belfast Boys’ Model School, Belfast Model School for Girls, two of the Irish schools and the Irish primary schools. They are all sharing facilities. North Belfast has set a good example by showing other areas how that can be done, particularly given the challenging times that the area faced.
Ian McCrea (DUP)
The Minister may be aware that Derrytresk Gaelic club outside Coalisland recently intended to carry out a road safety event as part of its programme of working with the police and the Fire and Rescue Service. Some local residents attempted to protest to stop that event happening, and, unfortunately, they were able to do that. Will the Minister join me in condemning those who tried to stop that progress taking place? Will she try to ensure that such events continue to happen?
William Hay (DUP)
Order. The Member is certainly outside the original question, which was about shared sporting facilities. The Member is outside the remit of the original question, and we should move on.
Raymond McCartney (Sinn Féin)
Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an fhreagra sin. I congratulate two Derry men, Darron Gibson and James McClean, on their selection. Will the Minister outline the progress that she has made through her Sport Matters strategy with the relevant authorities?
Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin)
All politics is local. I commend the Member for getting that in. Hopefully, his statement will be in the ‘Derry Journal’. Well done, Raymond.
The Sport Matters strategy focuses on sport, physical activity and physical recreation. We are only two years into its implementation, but there are signs of progress. The stakeholders include sporting bodies, the district councils and the Department of Education. They have all signed up to the strategy and are co-operating in developing a shared and cross-cutting delivery of arrangements. Sport NI has also worked very closely with the Department of Education on the development of a policy that will support some of the issues that Members have raised in the past about opening up and sharing schools’ sports facilities, particularly when school has finished. That will greatly benefit the rest of the community. We hope that that will be completed by the end of the summer, which, I am sure, will be most welcome.
Michael Copeland (UUP)
Has the Minister engaged with her Executive colleagues to examine the possible relationship between education and local government in taking a strategic view of sports provision?
Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin)
The answer that I gave to Raymond is a strategic approach to sports provision. Through the Executive, the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) is tasked with developing a funded strategy for physical activity and sporting provision. Most local government bodies have been involved in the development of the sports strategy; indeed, they are on the sports monitoring group, which I chair. It is not the case that they come to the meeting to pass time; they come in a proactive way and bring forward ideas and examples of where we could all have a better and more joined-up approach. I am sure that the Member agrees that that is the only way in which we can deal with the issue.
In the spirit of the question, I share Mr McCartney’s best wishes for the two local men who were called up at the weekend. I express our best wishes to everyone competing at the highest level this summer in sports. It is going to be a great summer for sport across Europe.
Will the Minister indicate what specific targets or objectives she is working towards in shared sports services? Can she share with the House any numbers or specific priority areas?
Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Féin)
I can write to the Member. There is a huge list of targets that have been met so far, and there are targets that have yet to be met. I am reassured by the approach and the can-do attitude that people are bringing to the table in relation to sports provision. Local government, in conjunction with DCAL, Sport NI, schools and disability sport, have been creative in making sure that people who were left out or who were furthest removed from sport and physical activity are brought in. Given the problems that we have and the challenges that we face, particularly in relation to mental health and well-being, suicide prevention, obesity and diabetes, the health indicators that might have been a second thought or an afterthought in the past are now right in the middle. The previous Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure delivered a report on those issues. They have been brought firmly into the middle and into focus. I am very impressed with people’s commitment to date.