The Ulster Unionist Party Leader, Robin Swann MLA, has written to the interim Head of the Civil Service, David Sterling, and the chair of the Stormont talks, Sir Malcolm McKibbin, in a bid to remove the blockage which has placed Northern Ireland’s bid to host the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games in jeopardy.

Robin Swann MLA said:

"Earlier today I attended a meeting at which the five main parties restated their support for Northern Ireland’s bid to host the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Games.

“The meeting was called due to genuine concerns that the Northern Ireland bid to host the Games is in jeopardy due to a lack of governmental support. I understand that the main problem relates to the Department of the Economy refusing to release funds to enable the Handover Team to attend the Handover ceremony at the 2017 Games in the Bahamas in a few weeks’ time.

“I have therefore written to the interim Head of the Civil Service, David Sterling, and asked him to take whatever steps are necessary to remove the blockage in the system, and to speak to colleagues in the Department of the Economy to free up the funds to get this project moving. I have also written to Sir Malcolm McKibbin and asked that this subject be placed on the agenda for the Party Leaders’ talks.  

“This is an intolerable situation given that the five main parties have twice voted in the Assembly to support a bid to host the Youth Games.

“If Northern Ireland was to lose the right to host the games it would be unforgiveable. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase Northern Ireland to a global audience and the benefits in terms of tourism and positive PR are incalculable. Consequently, the embarrassment and reputational damage that would be caused by losing the right to hold the games would be massive and precisely the wrong type of message to be sending out.

“Recently the Party leaders have supported bids to host the UEFA Super Cup in 2019 and the Rugby World Cup in 2023. As we have already given our backing to host the Commonwealth Youth Games, this issue should not prove difficult to resolve.”