SF concerned over #100,000 grant for Rod Stewart concert in North

Sinn Féin has expressed concerns that a concert by veteran rock star Rod Stewart at Stormont in the summer will receive £100,…

Sinn Féin has expressed concerns that a concert by veteran rock star Rod Stewart at Stormont in the summer will receive £100,000 sterling of public funds.

The money is being provided by the Northern Ireland Events Company. It has already paid £300,000 for other concerts outside Parliament Buildings.

Sinn Fein has said it will be raising the issue with the Northern Ireland Public Accounts Committee. Concert promoter, Mr Jim Aiken, said that without public funds, he could not bring stars like Rod Stewart to Stormont.

He said the revenue generated through tax exceeded any grant.

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"The Exchequer has been a net benefactor on all the concerts at Stormont, in terms of VAT and PAYE as well as the extra revenue generated for Northern Ireland's tourism and hospitality industries," Mr Aiken said.