Still ‘irons in the fire’ to save motorcycle racing in Northern Ireland: Ian Paisley

Ian Paisley Jr, speaking to the News Letter on Friday after it was reported the majority of motorcycle racing events would be called off this year due to soaring insurance costs, insisted there are “still some irons in the fire” as he suggested there is at least a glimmer of hope for larger events.

In a statement on Friday, the organisers of the North West 200 also stressed that they have not yet given up hope of finding a solution.

“I think it’s premature to say that Christmas is cancelled, or in this context that all motorcycling is cancelled,” he said. “It is not. Efforts are still being made to see if we can get a solution to this insurance problem.”

“What was asked for, I understand, last night is a big insurance package to pay for all the insurance deals for the whole road racing scene and track racing scene. When one or two clubs dropped out of that, the premiums didn’t go down because that wasn’t the way it was offered to them.

“I think what needs to happen now is individual insurance packages for individual insurance for individual races. If we can push it that way, we might find a solution.

“I am already aware of people who would help with the resourcing to make that possible.”

He cautioned, however, that “all road racing would not be saved”, adding “Let’s be clear about that.”

He continued: “But your bigger events - the North West 200, Armoy. The bigger events would at least be saved.

“That’s the effort I’m trying to make, to try and encourage people to see if there is an opportunity. I’ve also spoken to the councils to see if there is an opportunity of extending the current public liability insurance which the motrobike race clubs would pay for – an extension of existing liability. Now, I don’t know if that is possible but that is one of the issues for which clarity is being sought on.

“There are still some irons in the fire here, so let’s not cancel Christmas right away.”

Asked whether the government could intervene, Mr Paisley – who chaired a dedicated taskforce that published a report in 2019 on the issues affecting motorsports – said: “What I would say is that if you look at the model we put forward in the Taskforce report as a suggested option was to look at what the Isle of Man did and motorcycle sports and four wheel sports a government owned initiative. If it was a government owned initiative, like the Isle of Man TT, the government would pay for it because the government would benefit from it.

“That has to be an option, but unfortunately we put that on the table a number of years ago. Last year would have been a prime opportunity for the government to step in to support the North West 200 and the Ulster Grand Prix to take a strategic decision to make motorsports a government priority, because it’s an economic driver. Unfortunately, the government did not make it a priority.”