Ulster Unionist MLA Jo-Anne Dobson has warned that budget cuts at local Colleges will unfairly impact on people living and working in rural areas and damage the future of our rural economy.

Commenting following raising her concerns at the Agriculture Committee, the Upper Bann MLA said:

“Community courses offered by our six local FE Colleges are a lifeline to many rural communities and people who live in rural areas, and I was pleased to be joined in my support of them by representatives of the Ulster Farmers Union who were presenting to us at committee.

“These courses ensure that farmers, their families and people living in rural and isolated areas of Northern Ireland can avail of services and teaching, often only available in our towns and cities.

“Community courses, both recreational and those which lead to qualifications can encourage and engage people at any age whether it be craft, computers, fitness or indeed more academic courses like local history or childcare. Indeed the Department of Agriculture are putting everything online and encouraging farmers onto the internet to run their businesses, yet we have a threat to rural computer courses.

“Taking part in community courses brings so many social, physical and mental benefits and I know first-hand how these courses, many of them in Church, Community or Orange Halls, have helped to energise rural communities and I believe must be protected and expanded.

 
“People living and working in rural areas pay their taxes too, and especially with the threat hanging over rural primary and secondary schools, education must never become the preserve of people who live in towns or cities.

“Offering community courses in rural venues can often attract people who had never thought of attending courses in main college campuses and can often lead to them gaining the skills to get a new job or progress in their careers. I know that through their community learning team my local college, Southern Regional College, have sparked many people into setting up successful rural businesses and I want to see this important work continue.

“I have raised, and will continue to raise, this issue with the Ministers responsible, including the Health Minister, trying to get them to recognise the many benefits of community courses, including on the health and wellbeing of older people living in isolated areas.

“I want to see the Stormont Departments of Agriculture, Health and Employment and Learning leave their silo’s and begin to work together to help promote and increase services in rural areas. My fear, however, is that due to budget cuts community courses are being seen as a soft target for cuts, when in reality these courses are a life-line to many people across Northern Ireland.”