§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the decision was made to provide funding for soccer in Northern Ireland; and who made that decision. [103187]
§ Angela SmithFunding has been provided to soccer for many years. However on 7 February 2003, following advice from the Soccer Strategy Advisory Panel, I announced that the IFA's proposed Development Plan offered a sufficient basis for moving forward on the development of Soccer in Northern Ireland. I also made it clear that, before funding relating to the plan can be provided, I would require assurances that:
- the IFA's proposals are ratified at its Annual General Meeting;
- the governing body's new executive and accountability arrangements are in place; and
- accountability requirements for Government funding, including implementation, monitoring and evaluation, are satisfied.