Education Minister Paul Givan has unveiled a proposed £1.7 billion investment programme to overhaul the infrastructure for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN).

The announcement comes in response to what the Minister described as a "critical juncture" where special schools are full and facilities are outdated, risking a failure to support Northern Ireland’s most vulnerable learners. In a statement to the Assembly, the Minister revealed his proposals for an Executive-led SEN Capital Investment Programme, separate from the main education capital budget. He argued that the current budget is already stretched to its limits, with an £800 million maintenance backlog, and cannot absorb the necessary level of investment.

The proposed funding would be ring-fenced over the next decade to support new builds for special schools and the expansion of specialist provision in mainstream schools. It aims to create over 6,000 additional special school places and 5,000 specialist class places, addressing the significant growth in demand for provision.

Mr Givan stressed that this is a "societal obligation" to invest in facilities that empower children and support teachers. He urged all parties to back the proposal, which he said would move the system from "patchwork solutions to purposeful transformation."