Debate contribution: Community and Voluntary Sector: Funding
Debate contribution by Mr Gordon Lyons on .
- MLA
- Mr Gordon Lyons
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 29 September 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Community and Voluntary Sector: Funding
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5761422
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I recognise the serious impact that reduced resource funding is having on voluntary and community organisations, their staff and the people whom they support. The Shared Prosperity Fund ended on 31 March 2026, and the local growth fund has different objectives and a substantially different balance between capital and resource funding — determined, of course, by the UK Government. The Executive collectively pressed the Government for greater local flexibility and more resource funding to support resource-intensive interventions, including those delivered by the voluntary and community sector. However, the funding profile was not changed. To mitigate the immediate impact, the Executive secured the continued delivery of £11·8 million of resource funding in 2026-27 through existing arrangements, including support delivered by voluntary and community organisations. Work is now under way across the Executive to develop the approach for 2027-28 and 2028-29. My Department will continue to engage with the sector so that its evidence and experience inform that work. I recognise that significant pressures remain. I will continue to make the case for sufficient resource funding to protect essential services, subject to the funding available and decisions by the Executive.
188 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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