The Equality Commission is undertaking an investigation into funding decisions made by the Department for Communities regarding the Community Halls Pilot Programme and the Líofa Gaeltacht Bursary Scheme.

The investigation will consider whether the Department has complied with its Equality Scheme commitments relating to screening and equality impact assessment.

The Investigation was authorised by the Commission at its meeting on 26 April 2017.

The Investigation is under paragraph 11 of Schedule 9 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which empowers the Equality Commission to conduct an investigation where it believes that a public authority may have failed to comply with its approved Equality Scheme.

After earlier consideration by its Statutory Duties Investigation Committee, and consideration of correspondence from the Department for Communities, the Commission was satisfied that it would be appropriate to form such a belief. This is not a determination of whether or not such a failure has in fact occurred.

The Equality Commission will issue a report at the conclusion of the Investigation. It will not be commenting further upon the facts or issues involved in these matters until the investigation is complete.