Further Paddy's Day funding insult

The NI Events Committees (NIEC) has rejected the Belfast St Patrick's Carnival Committee's appeal of its decision not to fund this year's St Patrick's Day Carnival.

The Carnival Committee had applied for £27,000 funding from the NIEC to organise this year's event at Belfast City Hall. However the NIEC, taking its lead from unionists on Belfast City Council who refused grant aid, also refused to fund the event, which has traditionally drawn thousands of people from across Belfast to the city centre.

"This decision is gratuitously offensive and is a missed opportunity for 'NI EVENTS' to redeem themselves in the eyes of the people who support or attended the concert on St Patrick's Day," said Carnival Committee chair Irenen Sherry (above).

"The tens of thousands of people who attended our event will no doubt be convinced that the decision taken by unionist councillors in Belfast City Council to deny funding to the Committee again this year influenced this decision. The Carnival Committee will now meet to review this decision and options, including taking legal advice.

"This is now very much a civil, human rights and democratic rights issue and one we will continue to pursue."