In a statement today to the Assembly, the Minister said: “These matters are reserved and the power to introduce legislation to deal with them lies not with the Assembly but with the Northern Ireland Office.
The Minister made his remarks in an address to the Assembly in response to a No Named Day Motion.
He said: “I wrote to the Secretary of State on 15 August outlining measures to deal with sectarianism and anti-social behaviour at sports grounds. He has now invited me to work with him in the development of an effective and agreed package of measures to tackle these serious issues.
“I believe that offences need to be created around unauthorised pitch incursion, offensive chanting and missile throwing; bringing bottles, flares and fireworks into grounds; restrictions on carrying/drinking of alcohol on special public transport on the way to and from designated matches and during such matches; ticket touting; and the introduction of a Football Banning Order regime for Northern Ireland.
“I am convinced that measures to address these serious issues have a key part to play in making our sports grounds safer and more attractive to a larger and wider audience.”
The Minister also paid tribute to the excellent work of the Irish Football Association (IFA) and the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs (AONISC) in attempting to tackle sectarianism and hooliganism in soccer as part of the Football for All campaign.
In addition he said: “Sport can make a tremendous contribution in promoting Shared Future objectives and this is something I have sought to reflect in the new draft Strategy for Sport and Physical Recreation which I hope to publish in the near future.”
Notes to Editors:
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