Ulster Unionist Education Spokesperson, Rosemary Barton MLA, has said the revelation that the Department of Education’s next budget will be £4.9m smaller than the one it is ending this financial year with, exposes the truth about the suggestions that last week’s budget was in any way a good settlement for public services across Northern Ireland.

Rosemary Barton said:

“Last week the DUP attempted to portray the incoming budget as a good deal for Northern Ireland’s public services, when the reality it quite different.

“This week I hosted a meeting between the Permanent Secretary of the Education Department and school leaders across Fermanagh and South Tyrone. In no uncertain terms they were told that they are in for an even more challenging year than the last as frontline funding for schools is set to be further reduced in 2018/19. Despite the spin on the budget, education spending will be almost £5m less than what it is ending this year with.

“In cash terms the level of funding schools are receiving now is still similar to 2010/11, despite rapidly growing pupil numbers. It is inevitable that there will now be more schools than ever before experiencing deficits in their budget at the end of the year.

“The pressures in our local education system are in a downward spiral. Class sizes continue to swell, subjects are being cut, buildings are becoming increasingly run-down and now hundreds of schools are not even having their spending plans authorised.

“As far as school finances are concerned there is no reason for anyone to be cheer-leading last week’s budget. Rather it demonstrates the Conservative Party’s rigid austerity drive in many public services, education in Northern Ireland being a prime example.”