Ulster Unionist Education Spokesperson, Sandra Overend MLA, challenged the Minister today in Education Committee on the fact that projected spend this year from the £50 million allocated under Fresh Start, is only £3 million.

Mrs Overend said:

“It is very frustrating that this money will be lost to Northern Ireland. The Education Minister, Peter Weir, attended committee today and said that he would love more money for his Department. I would absolutely agree with that, as would many of my colleagues from other parties around the committee table. However, the Minister had access this year to £50 million for shared and integrated education and has failed miserably to spend it. This is all despite receiving no confirmation that this money can be carried over from one year to the next.

“His excuse today was that he was seeking more flexibility in what the money can be spent on. However, that does nothing to address the fact that £47 million of this money will remain with the Treasury and never darken the door of Northern Ireland again. If the DUP remain in that ministry after the upcoming election, I have real fears that we will lose this money every year for the next ten years – at which point the £500 million allocated will have run its course and will be lost to Northern Ireland.

“This money would have been of real value to Northern Ireland, not only to the education sector, but also to the construction industry. Most importantly it would have helped us on our way to a more integrated and shared education system.

“There can be no excuse for losing this money and we must not accept these continued failures.”