Sign up to prevent loss of £20 million for Northern Ireland

The Lottery is a huge source of funding for charities and government has already taken £1.5 billion from it for the Olympics. Now the bill for the games has soared by £900 million and the government has not ruled out taking even more money from the Lottery to fill the gap.

“If the government goes for the easy option of plundering the Lottery, Northern Ireland will lose another £20 million and charities will suffer,” said NICVA chief executive, Seamus McAleavey. “Local community organisations and women’s groups are likely to be the main losers”.

He has written to all Northern Ireland MPs asking for their support on the issue and has already received some replies.

Lady Sylvia Hermon, MP for North Down, raised the matter on NICVA’s behalf with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and received a reply from the Minister for Sport, Richard Caborn. She has offered to make additional representations on the subject.

North Belfast MP, Nigel Dodds, raised the matter with Maria Eagle, Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure, whose reply was almost identical to that from Minister Caborn. Mr Dodds has also offered to pursue the matter further.

Eddie McGrady, MP for South Down, has received replies from both Ministers similar to those received by the other MPs. He has also signed an Early Day Motion at the House of Commons on the issue and is willing to take further action on it.

West Belfast MP, Gerry Adams, has also written to the relevant departments on the matter.

As well as receiving support from MPs throughout the UK, the campaign to preserve Lottery money for good causes has won popular support. Thousands of people have already signed a petition on the Prime Minister’s web site: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Defend-funding. People in Northern Ireland are invited to sign before 22 March.

NICVA has already welcomed the idea of the Olympics and Paralympics being held in the UK but does not want it to be at the expense of charities that are helping disadvantaged people in our society.

“Instead, the government should divert the 12% it takes in tax on the Lottery into the Olympics,” Mr McAleavey said. “Not many people realise that only £28 out of every £100 donated by Lottery players actually goes to good causes. It would be very wrong if the amount available for charities throughout the UK was diverted to the London games.”