All of Mr Paul Givan’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not flagged, uncertain or not yet analysed.
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Thank you, Members, for bringing the motion forward and for providing the opportunity to respond to myriad issues relating to the provision for children with special educational needs. Members' contributions have reflected the different aspects that we need to consider. First, I commend…
The transport policy has been in place for years. I agree with the Member: some of its outworkings provide challenges and frustrations for many parents. You need to apply for a school that you do not believe that you will attend in order to get rejected, and then you can go to an alternative school to qualify for a…
Initially, the financial support was restricted to the nought-to-five age group, because that is the most expensive period for childcare. We had 16,000 registered people in receipt of financial support of around £180 a month per child. That has had a real impact, because we bolted it on to the UK tax-free scheme.…
I intend to bring forward a strategy on early learning and childcare in the autumn of 2025 that will support child development and make childcare more affordable, enabling parents to work. Recognising the need for immediate support, I secured £25 million of Executive funding in the previous financial year, followed by…
Controlled schools often provide a higher level of integrated status demographically than some integrated schools. They should be given the respect that should be afforded to them. In reviewing the demographic outcomes for schools that have transformed to integrated status, there are findings that should raise…
I thank the Member for that question. I recently published a written ministerial statement that set out my approach to the concept of "reasonable numbers" in the context of integrated education. That is a key consideration under articles 71 and 92 of the Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 and is now…
Following the UK Supreme Court judgement, rather than providing guidance, the Equality Commission said that that decision would be "highly persuasive" in similar situations, should they go to court or before tribunal. The Equality Commission then — wrongly, in my view — went down the route of issuing pre-action…
I thank the Member for the question that he has raised. It is an important one, and the deputy First Minister touched on it. In May this year, I outlined my clear position on behalf of the Department in respect of such matters. I do not believe that a boy who identifies as a girl should participate in girls'…
The Member is absolutely wrong. He would know that if he had even looked at the court ruling on the Integrated Education Fund challenge to the strategy. That document was not published by me; it was published when Stormont was not operating. That was a settlement of the outworkings of a position that I had reached…
People choose to go into opposition because they do not want to take responsibility; others choose to go into government to take responsibility. I am a Minister who will take that responsibility seriously on behalf of the people who elected me, and I will take decisions. I am not here to passively occupy this post; I…
I echo Mr Harvey's comments. It is vital that we help. I know no parent who does not want to get the best educational outcomes for their children, but, often, they need help to do it. There is support through the extended schools programmes. There is an uplift of around 15% for participating schools in their…
Parental participation is a cornerstone of the educational process and, indeed, success, with strong evidence linking parental engagement to improved outcomes. Recognising that, my Department has integrated parental engagement across strategies and programmes aimed at tackling underachievement. Sure Start empowers…
I thank Mr Irwin for raising the issue. He pushes not just for that school but for other schools in his constituency. Following the completion and approval of the business case, the preferred option will be progressed through the next design stages, which are stages 2, 3 and 4, so considerable work is to be carried…
A technical feasibility report has been completed by the integrated consultant team that identified options and costs to provide suitable accommodation for Tandragee Junior High School. A review of the options identified in the report was completed by the Department’s technical advisers in September 2024. A business…
I thank the Member for his question. He and others in Upper Bann have asked that question of me. That school is at the point at which it requires capital funding. It has completed all four of the stages that need to be completed. There is an issue regarding the council about the final site, but, like a number of…
I thank the Member for having me in North Down and giving me the opportunity to visit the schools that I was able to attend. I thank him for the work that he does to campaign for those schools. To give the precise number, 103 projects have been announced under the major capital programme since 2012. A further 11…
It is not about Malone being added to a list; it is one of many schools that are on that list. Of the 28 post-primary schools on the list that were identified for new build, only seven have moved forward to the various design stages — 21 schools have not advanced at all — and the 28 post-primary schools sit alongside…
I agree with the Member's sentiments on the need for progress to be made on the school. We are at the point of completing the stage 1 process, but there are other stages to go through. I want that to advance so that the project is subject to moving forward on a construction process when the capital budget is…
A technical feasibility report is being prepared by the project integrated consultant team in order to identify options and costs to provide suitable accommodation for Malone Integrated College. Once the feasibility report is complete, a review of the options identified will be undertaken by the Department's technical…
The Member raises a good point. In the vicinity of the school environment, the Education Authority has responsibility for improving the management of vehicle movements; in the public highway, it is the responsibility of the Department for Infrastructure. We engage with DFI on where it can help to improve junctions…