THE council has voted to overturn a committee decision to not support Down GAA’s application for EU funding assistance for its Ballykinlar centre of excellence. Last month, the Economy, Regeneration and Tourism (ERT) Committee agreed to this course of action on the basis that the project is “in direct competition” with the local authority’s plans to develop a Warrenpoint community hub.
After discussing the matter in closed session in March, committee chair Mickey Ruane (Sinn Féin, Crotlieve) said that “council notes the application for the Down County Board multi-sports hub at Ballykinlar site, through financial assistance”. “Unfortunately, council are not in a position to provide support to the Down County Board for their application to PEACEPLUS for a centre of participation, wellbeing and shared learning hub, as it is in direct competition with our wellbeing hub in Warrenpoint,” he stated.
At Monday’s monthly meeting, the issue was again discussed in closed session, after which council chair Valerie Harte confirmed that councillors had voted 29-6 in favour of reversing the previous decision.
In a statement issued after the meeting, Sinn Féin’s council group leader Oonagh Hanlon (Downpatrick) said that, in recent weeks, her party has been “working closely with Newry, Mourne and Down Council and the Down County Board in advancing the vision for a centre of excellence at Ballykinlar”. “We have supported the development of a Down GAA centre of excellence at Ballykinlar for many years now, and will continue demonstrating our commitment to supporting Gaelic games in Newry, Mourne and Down,” she added. “Sinn Féin has been determined in resolving the matters arising following last month’s ERT Committee meeting, and to ensure councillors received all the correct information before this process could proceed any further. “It is positive that the matters have now been resolved, and we have been able to overturn the decision made at last month’s ERT committee meeting. “Sinn Féin will continue working with both council and Down GAA throughout the process to ensure this project can continue progressing smoothly.”
Planning permission for the 12.5- hectare Ballykinlar development – set to include four full-size pitches (three of which will be floodlit), a new two-storey building that will contain a covered spectator stand, office space, player facilities, a museum and a multi-use games area – on the village’s former army base and at Ballykinlar GAC’s existing grounds was granted in July 2021.
