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  • Sport overview

    Topics:
    • Sport
    The Department is responsible for the central administration and promotion of sport in Northern Ireland and the administration of Sport NI.

    Department and Sport NI

    The Department aims to promote a culture of lifelong enjoyment and success in sport. Sport NI is a lead development agency for sport in Northern Ireland as established under the Recreation and Youth Service (Northern Ireland) Order 1986.

    • Sport NI website

    The Department for Communities is the sponsor Department for Sport Northern Ireland (Sport NI). Working together, they have agreed to set out the partnership arrangements between them.

    • Partnership agreement between Department for Communities and Sport Northern Ireland

    Sport Matters

    DfC promotes sport in the context of its strategy for sport: Sport Matters: The Northern Ireland Strategy for Sport and Physical Recreation, 2009 to 2019.

    Sport Matters was developed by DCAL, in partnership with Sport Northern Ireland, and approved by the Northern Ireland Executive in December 2009

    More information about Sport Matters and the Sport Matters strategy are available on the following DfC pages:

    • Sport Matters
    • The Northern Ireland Strategy for Sport and Physical Recreation, 2009 to 2019

    Sport Matters Monitoring Group

    As part of the implementation of Sport Matters, a ministerial chaired Sport Matters Monitoring Group, which is responsible for monitoring and overseeing the delivery of Sport Matters, has been established.

    • Sport Matters Monitoring Group

    Projects

    The Department has been involved in the following sports projects and initiatives:

    • Recognise and Remove Concussion Awareness

    Related to Sport overview

    Most recent news items

    • Minister Lyons hosts reception for NI Transplant Games Team

      Published 1 July 2025
    • Member Re-appointments to the Board of Sport Northern Ireland

      Published 30 May 2025
    See all news in this topic

    Access to information

    How to request information from the Department for Communities including Freedom of Information (FOI) and the use of our Publication Scheme. You may also request your own personal information, via a Right of Access Request.

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