To ask the Minister of Finance to detail the circumstances in which a golf club or business attached to a golf club is eligible for the Local Restrictions Support Scheme.

Sports Clubs are not eligible for the Local Restrictions Support Scheme. The Department of Communities has policy responsibility for sport and it has put in place the Sports Sustainability Fund to provide financial support to sports clubs affiliated to governing bodies recognised by Sport NI. The Sports Sustainability Fund provides tailored support for each organisation by assessing its expenditure, income and losses. This assessment can cover loss of income from the provision of hospitality by the club. Applicants to the Sports Sustainability Fund must declare income from any other Covid related schemes, including LRSS, for consideration in the assessment of their award. Since there would be no net benefit to clubs from applying to both schemes, the appropriate approach was for sports clubs to apply to the Sports Sustainability Fund.

As sports clubs, golf clubs themselves are not eligible for support from the LRSS and should have accessed support from the Sports Sustainability Fund through their recognised governing body.

A business attached or located within a golf club’s premises, such as a shop, bar or restaurant business, which is owned by an operator who is independent of the golf club, and which is restricted by the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions), is eligible to apply for the Localised Restrictions Support Scheme.