Ruane Faces Construction Challenge

The amount of money being spent on new school building projects is in focus this week as a call to review the criteria for capital programmes is made.

North Antrim DUP MLA Mervyn Storey has called on Stormont Minister Caitriona Ruane to publish immediately the criteria under which she is reviewing capital build programmes.

Warning the Minister (pictured) against any attempt to divert money away from other programmes and towards Irish medium schools. Mervyn Storey said: "I am calling on the Education Minister to publish the criteria she will use to determine where new schools will be built. By doing so, the Minister will be able to clarify what is driving her plans.

"The Minister is currently proposing to remove funding from school Preparatory Departments which are a successful part of the education system.

"These plans appear to be motivated and driven by a narrow and negative ideology rather than educational concerns," he insisted.

Issues such as the criteria to be used when determining capital build programmes have huge financial implications for education.

To date the Minister has been unable or unwilling to clarify what these will be and how they will impact upon the various education sectors.

"I would warn the Minister not to try to divert monies away from other capital building programmes and towards the Irish medium sector," Mr Storey continued.

"Her pursuit of ideologically driven schemes and campaigns has mired her in controversy in the past and resulted in her plans being scuppered.

"She can publish the criteria and in doing so demonstrate that any spending decisions will actually be based on education and not on ideology."

Just last Friday, the NI Education Minister moved to clarify capital budget and said that "contrary to recent statements from other politicians" the Department of Education's capital budget for 2010/11 is £170m.

The Minister said: "There has been some ill-informed comment recently about my Department's budgets, particularly for capital works.

"Our capital budget for 2010/11 is approximately £170m and this will mainly be used to provide accommodation for pupils and teachers that is fit for the 21st Century.

"We have made good progress in updating the schools estate in many areas with new schools just completed and more on site.

"The Executive's 10 year Investment Strategy allocated £700m over the investment period for over 100 major schools projects to be taken forward," she said last Thursday.

Her comments came a day after she presented a new Irish Immersion Certificate for teachers to help support the use of Irish in schools.

The Minister said: "In recent years we have seen a steady growth in the number of children and young people educated in the Irish-medium sector.

"This new course recognises the particular competencies needed for the delivery of education in early years settings through immersion in the Irish language," she said, explaining that it is a community-based regional support group for Irish language early years projects.

(BMcC/GK)