Oral Statement by Communities Minister Gordon Lyons MLA on the Northern Ireland Community Infrastructure Fund

Date published: 30 September 2025

Mr. Speaker,

I wish to make a statement to update the House on the launch of the Northern Ireland Community Infrastructure Fund, a major new investment supporting the refurbishment and improvement of community buildings and facilities right across Northern Ireland.

In June, I provided a Written statement to the Chamber setting out my intention to launch a scheme in support of the halls, hubs, and centres that rarely make headlines but make an enormous difference in sustaining local life across Northern Ireland.

I have moved at pace, and tomorrow the Northern Ireland Community Infrastructure Fund will open. Last Wednesday night, at an event in Pomeroy, I was pleased to be joined by fellow elected representatives, voluntary and community leaders and other funders to launch the Fund.

It was great to see the energy in the room, the recognition of the importance of halls and community buildings and the importance of sustaining them, and importantly, the feedback from sectoral leaders endorsing this timely intervention responding to need within our communities.

My vision with this fund is not just about bricks and mortar, it is about people, places and potential. In my role as Communities Minister, I’ve seen first-hand how vital community buildings and local halls are, be they church halls, orange halls, sports clubs or village halls, as the beating heart of our cities, towns and villages. They are the places where children learn, where people gather, where faith, sport, culture and heritage are celebrated.

Across Northern Ireland, from Strabane to Strangford, from Portrush to Pomeroy, these places bring people together, not because they are grand, or state-of-the-art, but because they are the thread that weaves our communities together.

They are where communities gather, grow and support one another. Where a teenager discovers confidence. Where those who are isolated find friendship. Where neighbours become volunteers. They are where the fabric of community is knitted tighter.

Yet, many of these buildings are under strain. They are ageing. They are tired. I have seen this first hand in my visits across Northern Ireland, many members have told me of the importance, and the constraints, of these facilities in your own constituencies too.

In too many cases, they are no longer fit for purpose. Cold in winter, inaccessible for some, outdated and inefficient. Volunteers and trustees are stretching themselves to keep the lights on or make the most of spaces that are inadequate or limiting.

We can all agree that is not good enough.

These experiences convinced me that government needs to step in with practical support. I have chosen to act with urgency and ambition in establishing the Northern Ireland Community Infrastructure Fund which will disperse £4.3m to our grassroot and local communities.

This is a direct response to the challenges facing our communities and a significant and timely investment, proof of me delivering, not just discussing.

The fund will provide grants of up to £40,000 for over 100 individual projects. More than 100 opportunities for local communities to improve, adapt and flourish.

I know this funding will not meet every need. Demand will undoubtedly outstrip what is available. This is a pilot which provides an opportunity to build understanding of need and impact and learn lessons.

To help deliver this Fund effectively and with impact, we have partnered with Co-operation Ireland to administer the scheme in partnership with my officials. They are a voluntary organisation with a proven track record of expertise, networks and trusted relationships.

My aim is that the Northern Ireland Community Infrastructure Fund will support voluntary and community organisations to sustain their buildings ensuring they are ready to serve for years to come. But it is also about the potential to better serve their community: the church hall that upgrades its kitchen and now runs a weekly community café that brings people together; young parents, pensioners, and newcomers to the area. These are not just upgrades, they are transformations.

And there’s another vital part of this story: local suppliers.

This fund will allow community groups to work with local SMEs and micro enterprises. By using experienced local tradespeople, builders, and service providers, we are supporting small businesses and maintaining jobs. This investment doesn’t just improve buildings; it multiplies its impact by supporting livelihoods and building pride. This will be ‘social value’ in action.

The Fund will be open to voluntary and community groups, including faith-based organisations, sports clubs, church halls, village halls, Orange halls, and other centres that provide a wide range of community activities.

I want to take a moment to highlight the role of faith-based organisations, with church halls having long served as more than places of worship. For generations they have provided an inclusive space for many, from parent and toddler groups to lunch clubs and scouting and guide groups.

One of the real strengths of this Fund is how it is open to a wide spectrum of community spaces across Northern Ireland, whether it’s a community centre in Londonderry, a faith-based group in Portadown, a sporting club in Omagh or an Orange hall in Carrickfergus. These buildings may look different, serve different purposes, and be rooted in different traditions, but they can all play a vital role in community life where they are open to, and used by, the wider community.

The scheme will provide funding towards:

• Repairs to existing community buildings (for example, refurbishment or structural repairs).
• Small scale refurbishment or renovation works to improve communal facilities, (for example kitchen and toilets or changes to enable multi-use of premises).
• Capital works for accessibility improvements (upgrades such as ramps or lifts).
• Energy efficiency measures (such as boiler replacement, window upgrades, solar panels)

From tomorrow, the first stage of the application process opens. The Fund will award successful applicants up to 95% of the cost of their capital project, up to a maximum of £40,000. We are asking organisations to contribute 5% of project cost, whether through fundraising, reserves or loans, not as a barrier, but as a way to strengthen ownership and sustainability. This modest contribution ensures that groups are actively invested in their projects, encourages local fundraising and partnership, and helps stretch public funding further.

Over the next fortnight, we will be holding a range of information sessions with in-person events in Belfast, Larne, Newry, Enniskillen, Dungannon and Londonderry as well as online events to help groups learn more about eligibility for the fund and the application process.

The application process will be clear and transparent, with robust criteria to ensure fairness and value for money. Stage 1 of the process is an Expression of Interest which opens tomorrow and runs to 29 October 2025.

The Stage 2 application process will begin on 19 November 2025 and run until 9 January 2026. I would encourage all members to engage with the guidance, now on my Department’s website, and signpost prospective applicants to the support available.

Mr Speaker, change doesn’t always begin with sweeping reforms. Sometimes it begins with a new roof. A new boiler. A new kitchen. But those changes unlock so much more.

With this Fund, we are not just investing in buildings. We are investing in our communities, our community capital, our community infrastructure.

I look forward to seeing it deliver for communities across Northern Ireland.

I commend this Statement to the House.