Debate contribution: Community Infrastructure Fund
Debate contribution by Mr Gordon Lyons on .
- MLA
- Mr Gordon Lyons
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 15 June 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Community Infrastructure Fund
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5614205
Read the official Assembly record
Text
The Member is absolutely right. We have seen outright hostility from Sinn Féin on those issues, and especially from the Chairman of the Committee for Communities and the Deputy Chair. Sinn Féin has shown publicly disregard and hostility towards our marching bands and other musical instruments programme recipients, Ulster Scots and the connections with America250. Often, that party accuses me of many things, yet those Members are the only ones who have shown open hostility to any cultural organisations. It is very disappointing that they have done that. We can see the benefits of that funding in our community. I had the pleasure of being at the UK Pipe Band Championships in north Belfast on Saturday. I was also at the Royal Landing event in Carrickfergus. I take the opportunity to pay tribute to Cheryl Brownlee and her team for a fantastic event. There were thousands of people in attendance. It was a family day with music, pageantry and historical re-enactment. It was fantastic to see. We need more of that. That has been able to develop as a result of the support that we give to the Ulster-Scots Agency, and through our musical instruments programme. I urge Sinn Féin to end its hostility towards cultures that it may not agree with. It has been on open display here. I agree with what the Member rightly said, and I hope that Sinn Féin will be more progressive in its attitude. Let us get rid of the hostility.
247 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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