Debate contribution: Local Growth Fund

Debate contribution by Mr Pádraig Delargy on 21 October 2025.

MLA

Mr Pádraig Delargy

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

21 October 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Local Growth Fund

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5197424

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle.

At the outset, I pay tribute to the community and voluntary sector, particularly those members who join us in the Gallery today — I am sure that others are watching online — because they provide a vital service every single day right across the North. They are out in our communities helping young people into work, helping families through difficult times, providing mental health support and bringing communities together. As has been acknowledged right across the Chamber, much of that work happens quietly, often without recognition, but it provides the backbone of our society. For many years, that work was sustained through the ESF — a fund that changed lives and gave people hope, opportunity and dignity. The loss of that funding has created real hardship: groups that were already stretched now face impossible choices; staff have lost their jobs or have been placed on protective notice; projects have closed; and, ultimately, people who depended on those services have been left without that support. I thank the DUP for highlighting our consistency on this issue, because Sinn Féin has been consistent on it. We have been consistent in defending the right of the community and voluntary sector to funding in order to provide support to people and enhance support services in our community. When the British Government promised that every penny of EU funding would be replaced, that commitment gave communities a degree of reassurance, but what we have seen since then is broken promise after broken promise. The funding does not match what was lost: it is lower. The process is more complicated, and, critically, the decisions are made in London rather than here. I am glad that most parties here today have acknowledged that. John, Jemma and Sian have acknowledged the need for co-design and local knowledge, which is vital. To a certain extent, I disagree with the SDLP's position and its talk of "a begging bowl", because saying that lets the British Government off the hook. It allows them to shirk their responsibility, and it reinforces the reality that people in the North are picking up the pieces for a British Government who refuse to stand up and defend those rights and who have left us poorer in terms of funding and —.

I do not have time, sorry. They have left us poorer in terms of funding and in what the community sector can offer. In my constituency, organisations that, for years, have helped people to get back into training and employment have been forced to shut their doors. In the north-west, where deprivation levels remain among the highest of any on these islands, that has been devastating, not just because of the loss of money but because of the loss of experience, relationships and trust that have taken years to build. The motion is about fairness and respect. It is about fairness for the organisations that have delivered incredible outcomes for decades and about respect for the principle of devolution. Decisions about our communities should be made in our communities by those who understand them. As John highlighted, that understanding is about our unique situation. The funding should meet local needs; it cannot be uniform. We call on the British Government to fulfil their commitment to replace the EU funding in full and to provide clarity beyond 2026. The uncertainty that hangs over our community and voluntary sector cannot continue. Organisations need time to plan, they need to retain their staff, and they need the assurance that they can continue to deliver vital services in our communities. We also call for decision-making and structural funds to be returned to the Executive. Local expertise, local accountability and local delivery work. Westminster cannot and should not decide the future of our community development programmes. The Assembly needs to send a clear and united message that we stand with the community and voluntary sector, that we will hold the British Government to account and that it is time for the British Government's promises to be honoured in full so that a locally designed replacement fund is in place by April 2026.

690 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 13:32 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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