The Ulster Unionist Party has tabled a motion for debate on Monday 26 January regarding the recent decision of the Minister of Education to approve the establishment of a brand new Irish Language Secondary School near Dungiven- against official advice.
Ulster Unionist Education spokesperson Danny Kinahan said;
“This is not an anti-Irish language motion; it is about fiscal responsibility and evidence based decision making in government. The Minister for Education in the midst of a budget crisis is prepared to fund a new secondary school with a projected initial intake of 14 pupils and an estimated first year deficit of £100,000.
“The Minister has been asked to justify his decision to approve this new Irish language secondary school since he made the announcement just before the Christmas holidays. He has so far ducked the issue, hiding behind the mantra of ‘I’m the Minister, I make the decisions.’ He has a duty to explain the policy grounds for his decision, or he will stand accused of maladministration.
“As our motion states, ‘this decision was taken contrary to official advice from the Western Education and Library Board, the North Eastern Education and Library Board, the Education and Training Inspectorate, the Ministerial Advisory Group on Irish Medium Education and his own Department.’
“Minister O’Dowd has a duty to make decisions based on rationality, affordability and sustainability. In the present context of tightening budgets and restrictions on spending right across the public sector, any Education Minister must be satisfied that proposals for any new school will lead to a viable, sustainable school, providing good quality education for all its pupils. We need full disclosure from the Minister about this decision.
“I am afraid that this episode has all the hallmarks of educational decisions being made on Sinn Fein party political grounds. Again we have evidence of Ministerial solo runs- which were meant to be a thing of the past under the so called Sinn Fein/ DUP Fair Deal- the St Andrews Agreement.
“Piecemeal and inconsistent decisions are being made by the Department of Education under Sinn Fein control. Decisions are not being made based on evidence, there is no discernable joined up plan for a single education system in the longer term, and the post primary transfer test has effectively been privatised. The Ulster Unionist Party has a vision for a single education system in Northern Ireland- with shared education as the roadmap for getting there. We reiterate our desire to take the Ministerial reins at the Department of Education if the electorate gives us the opportunity at the next Assembly election. It is our number one priority.”