Royal Portrush Golf Club boss appointed to Sport NI board

The chief executive of Royal Portrush Golf Club has been appointed to the board of Sport NI.
Wilma Erskine. Cr10-264plWilma Erskine. Cr10-264pl
Wilma Erskine. Cr10-264pl

Nine previous members resigned after an audit report into serious allegations about leadership of the organisation.

Other new appointees include sports academics and educationalists.

Wilma Erskine is the chief executive of Royal Portrush, where she is also a member of the board organising the 2019 Open Championship.

Kieran Harding is the managing director of Business in the Community and director of East Belfast Enterprise. He is assistant manager at Portadown FC, an Irish Premier League football club.

Mr Harding brings equality and social inclusion experience, as well as financial management skills to the board.

The other new members are Kyle Ferguson, Celine McStravick and Dr Catherine O’ Mullan.

Sports Minister Caral Ni Chuilin made the appointments.

She previously disclosed that 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 overall culture within Sport NI.

She said: “I welcome the opportunity to make these appointments to the board of Sport NI given the recent challenges it has experienced.

“These high calibre appointees bring a wide and varied range of skills and experience which are vital to the organisation now and into the future.

“The new board members will provide high quality leadership to Sport NI, allowing it to focus on its mission of leading sports development at all levels.”