Sports Minister Carál Nί Chuilίn wants meeting with Sport NI over 'serious allegations'

Sports Minister Carál Nί Chuilίn has called for an urgent meeting with the board of Sport NI to consider a report into "serious allegations" about the "management and culture" of the organisation.

It follows a report by the Head of Internal Audit at the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and the Department of Education.

She said the claims were distinct from those made by safety expert Paul Scott.

He had claimed he was bullied.

Ms Nί Chuilίn said: "The Head of Internal Audit in the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) and Department of Education has completed a report setting out a range of serious allegations and concerns in relation to the leadership, management and the overall culture within Sport NI.

"I have today written to the chair and board members of Sport NI, and asked for an urgent meeting with the members of the board of Sport NI to urgently consider the report of the Head of Internal Audit and to hear their response to the issues that have been raised by their staff.

"I will be making no further public comment on this issue until I have the opportunity to hear from Sport NI, considered their response and decided on the best way forward.

"I would also wish to make it clear that these allegations are distinct from those which were raised by another member of Sport NI staff at the CAL (Culture, Arts and Leisure) Committee on 30 April and which are the subject of another investigation process."

On 30 April, Mr Scott told Stormont's Culture, Arts and Leisure committee that he was put under "undue pressure" to approve plans for the new Casement Park Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) ground by officials from the minister's department.

He also said he had made a complaint of bullying against them.

He said it was made in December 2014.

Mr Scott said he raised a complaint of bullying and harassment against DCAL officials, with the chief executive of Sport Northern Ireland.

He also said he made a formal protected disclosure to the board of Sport NI, where he is safety compliance unit manager.

The chief executive of Sport NI, Antoinette McKeown, was suspended from her role earlier this year.

Last month, she turned up at a Stormont committee where two of her Sport NI colleagues were giving evidence about the stadium.

She sat in the public gallery as the officials spoke to the Culture, Arts and Leisure (CAL) committee.