AQW 23959/22-27 Written question to the Minister for Communities
To ask the Minister for Communities to provide a list of the number of full-sized hockey pitches, broken down by (i) local council area; and (ii) county.
Asked by Paula Bradshaw MLA on 6 March 2025
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 6 March 2025
- Answer due by
- 24 March 2025
- Answered
- 15 April 202540 days after tabling
- Department
- Department for Communities
- Priority question
- No
Answer
This issue is an operational matter for Sport NI.
I have sought the requested information from the Chief Executive, who has advised me as follows:
“From Sport NI’s Active Places Database (2017) we are aware of 184 playing surfaces which can be used as a full-size hockey pitch. Please see breakdown by (i) local council area; and (ii) county below.
Local council area
Table 1: Number per District Council
| Grass | Gravel/ Shale | Synthetic | Grand Total | |
| Full Size | 3 | 118 | 63 | 184 |
| Antrim and Newtownabbey District | 13 | 7 | 20 | |
| Ards & North Down District | 14 | 6 | 20 | |
| Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon District | 17 | 6 | 23 | |
| Belfast City | 2 | 13 | 13 | 28 |
| Causeway Coast and Glens District | 15 | 2 | 17 | |
| Derry City and Strabane District | 6 | 3 | 9 | |
| Fermanagh and Omagh District | 3 | 4 | 7 | |
| Lisburn and Castlereagh District | 8 | 9 | 17 | |
| Mid and East Antrim District | 1 | 13 | 2 | 16 |
| Mid Ulster District | 6 | 7 | 13 | |
| Newry City, Mourne and Down District | 10 | 4 | 14 | |
| Grand Total | 3 | 118 | 63 | 184 |
County
Table 2: Number per County
| Grass | Gravel/Shale | Synthetic | Grand Total | |
| Full Size | 3 | 118 | 63 | 184 |
| Antrim | 3 | 50 | 26 | 79 |
| Armagh | 14 | 3 | 17 | |
| Down | 29 | 18 | 47 | |
| Fermanagh | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Londonderry | 18 | 8 | 26 | |
| Tyrone | 5 | 7 | 12 | |
| Grand Total | 3 | 118 | 63 | 184” |
For any future queries relating to operational matters, you may wish to contact Sport NI directly. Making direct contact with Sport NI will ensure that you receive the information in the shortest possible timeframe and make best use of public resources.