Community

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has appointed DUP councillor Paul Greenfield to the Libraries NI board, the body responsible for running public libraries across Northern Ireland. The four-year appointment, effective from 18 June 2026, places the former Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council on the governing body […]

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has reiterated his commitment to Northern Ireland’s veterans community during Armed Forces Day celebrations in Coleraine, highlighting a recently launched Government support line designed to help former service personnel navigate benefits and access services. The Minister’s visit to the Causeway Coast town on Saturday (20 June)

Construction has officially begun on a £7 million project to transform Strabane town centre, launching a major regeneration drive aimed at reversing years of decline in the area. The Public Realm Scheme, announced by Communities Minister Gordon Lyons on 18 June 2026, will deliver extensive upgrades to streets, public spaces

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has formally awarded £61.5 million in government loan funding to housing provider Maple and May, clearing the way for Northern Ireland’s first Affordable Rent homes to open for applications within weeks. The announcement, made in an oral statement to the Assembly, confirms that the pioneering scheme

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has unveiled a five-year strategy for the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) that promises to accelerate digital transformation while broadening public access to the region’s archival heritage. The plan, titled “Building our future by preserving our past,” sets out an ambitious course for the

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has launched Northern Ireland’s first-ever Affordable Rent programme, a £61.5 million initiative designed to provide 300 high-quality homes at below-market rates for lower-income households struggling with private sector costs. Announced on 16 June 2026, the scheme marks the first operational phase of the Intermediate Rent policy

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has confirmed the formal award of £61.5 million in government funding to housing developer Maple & May, marking the transition from policy planning to concrete delivery of Northern Ireland’s first affordable rent homes. The announcement, made to the Northern Ireland Assembly on 16 June 2026, confirms

Eighty-one people from Northern Ireland have been recognised in His Majesty The King’s Birthday Honours List 2026, celebrating exceptional contributions to communities across the region. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has formally congratulated the recipients, whose work spans the arts, sport, music, housing, charity, and voluntary sectors. Published on 12 June

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has welcomed UK Minister for Veterans and People Louise Sandher-Jones MP to Belfast for a visit to the newly established Veterans Support Line NI. The 5 June 2026 visit highlights efforts to improve coordination between Stormont and the UK government on armed forces welfare, as Northern

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has re-appointed Alison Nicholl to the Board of Sport Northern Ireland, extending her tenure for a second four-year term that will run until March 2030. The re-appointment maintains a rare combination of technology sector expertise and elite sporting experience within the governance of the arm’s-length body