North West 200: Council has ‘finite budget’; Ian Paisley calls for extra support to come from regional government

Ian Paisley was speaking to the News Letter following a warning from NW200 race chief Mervyn Whyte that Northern Ireland’s biggest motorcycle race was in jeopardy.

Mr Paisley, who chaired a taskforce that looked at the future of motorsport in Northern Ireland, said the local Causeway Coast and Glens council had already been “exceedingly generous” and called for extra support to come from regional government level.

And his party colleague on the council, DUP councillor John McAuley, said that while he is confident the local authority would continue to give their backing to the race event, there is a “finite budget”.

Mr Paisley said: “I was asked to chair the Northern Ireland Taskforce around motorsport in Northern Ireland and we examined this.

“Let’s be clear, the council has been exceedingly generous and indeed has been the bedrock of support for this event for decades. It has actually been more generous in terms of its support than national government in Belfast.

“So, in terms of all the other packages that are given, the local council has been the bedrock in terms of payments-in-kind, indirect payment and support, and they’ve supplied people. The local authority has been very generous and I think the organisers of this event would recognise that.”

He added: “But we are moving from a volunteer-driven event into a professional era, and no longer can this world class event be run solely on a voluntary basis. It needs to be professionalised and supported in the same way as the Isle of Man event has been.”

The North Antrim MP urged bodies such as Tourism NI and relevant Stormont departments to step in if necessary to ensure the event can continue.

Meanwhile, his party colleague John McAuley said: “It’ll come in front of Leisure and Development for us to discuss, and I know Mervyn [Whyte] has been working with us behind the scenes on what is required.”

He continued; “There is a good relationship there, so I would say the council will endeavour to do all we can to ensure this flagship event continues.

“It’s not just as straightforward as saying the money is there or it isn’t. Obviously we have a finite budget. It will be the case that if we spend money in one area, something else will have to fall.”

Mr McAuley added: “Our main income is from the rates, and unlike other council areas we don’t have the luxury of large industry bringing in big rates. Our rates base is quite small compared to some councils, so if we spend the money once we can’t spend it on something else.”

Tourism NI, meanwhile, said it had met with race organisers “as recently as this week” but declined to comment further.