Analysis in progress: 70,684 of 97,621 records assessed (72.4%). Totals and rankings will change until it finishes. Progress details
Mr Paul Givan: Assembly records
All of Mr Paul Givan’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not qualifying, uncertain or not yet analysed.
It is. It is entirely the same thing. Here is the problem, Members: "reasonable" is undefined. There is no definition in the Bill as to what is deemed to be "reasonable", just as Kellie Armstrong's Bill did not define "reasonable". I was tested in court on those decisions as to what is "reasonable", and here we have…
I appreciate the Member's giving way. Yes, we did. The Alliance Party introduced integrated education legislation in 2022, which said "a reasonable number".
I appreciate the Member's giving way. She has referenced parents on a number of occasions. So that I can understand this, can the Member tell me whether there are any circumstances in which the Member or the Bill sponsor believes that a parent can say to their child, "I do not agree with you. I do not agree with how…
Uncertain: weak signalGender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues
What I say to the Member and to other Members who seem to be a little bit sceptical, is this: rejoice, rejoice. We are on the same page. You got what you wanted, so why are Members saying that they are disappointed? You have a Minister who listened. The arguments were convincing. The pupils raised their concerns, and…
I outlined the direction of travel on that issue right from when we first debated it, which was to allow schools to take decisions based on respecting their autonomy but also to enable a much greater level of pupil participation. That requires schools to consult on their policy with pupils and parents and to reflect…
I thank the Member for the question. That has been very much informed by the legislation and by two recent court judgements, both of which the Department was successfully able to defend. That is because we want to ensure that the integrated sector is exactly what it proclaims to be — integrated. If an integrated…
I thank the Member for his question. Obviously, that issue is one that has been discussed in relation to "reasonable numbers", primarily within the integrated sector. It is clear that many schools that have already transformed and are now controlled integrated schools do not satisfy the "reasonable numbers" criterion…
One can only speculate as to why Sinn Féin does not want to have a managing authority for controlled schools — a sector that caters predominantly for the Protestant community, albeit its schools' enrolments are becoming increasingly diverse. One can only speculate on why it wants to make provision for the continuation…
There are a number of pieces of legislation that I wish to take through. I secured Executive approval for the council for controlled schools Bill by way of a policy to be publicly consulted upon. That was presented as a draft Bill to the Executive in June and is waiting for the First Minister to allow it to come onto…
We are reviewing how the current process was managed. My officials are engaged in that process with the EA, but there should not be a repeat of what has happened with transport provision in the next academic year. My focus at the moment is to make sure that every single child has that provision put in place. There is…
No, I do not think that the outcome is acceptable, not just for Maisie but for a significant number of other children. Yes, I expect the Education Authority to deliver value for money and to interrogate the tendering processes of the various transport routes. However, I expect it to carry that out in a timely manner…
Thank you. Members rightly raise the issue of the three-mile distance rule for post-primary schools and the two-mile rule for primary schools and whether pupils have a safe route to walk to school. That will be reviewed by the EA, and, if evidence can be presented that there is not a safe route for a pupil, the EA…
I thank the Member for raising that issue. He raised it with me over the summer, which is why I stated that the EA received additional applications and the particular issues around Dunseverick Primary School are under review. The Member raised the wider point of parents being notified of transport arrangements for…
The Education Authority (EA) is responsible for the operational delivery of school transport. It reviews services annually as pupil demand changes with children joining, leaving and transferring schools. In doing so, it must ensure the effective use of public resources across a network that provides transport…
I agree with the Member. That is why I am putting it out there, clearly, that £361·2 million additional funding was provided to the Executive as a result of the £5 billion bailout of local authorities in England for SEN pressures. The Sinn Féin Finance Minister allocated only £115 million of that funding to my…
I do not do argy-bargy for the sake of social media; I do it on behalf of the constituents, children and young people who need me to be their voice and champion their case. We know that increasing numbers of children are presenting with additional challenges. The Member and I have visited a number of special schools…
Obviously, every Department is facing very difficult financial challenges. We are engaged in a process with the UK Government, the Secretary of State and the Treasury so that we can all get the funding needed to meet the challenges and provide public services to all our citizens. However, regardless of the amount of…
I thank the Member for his comments. I share the sentiment. When the Assembly was recalled, I listened to Members who were outraged about SEN provision saying that SEN ought to be a priority for the Executive. Sinn Féin Members were the most vocal. However, when £360 million of SEN funding was provided to the…
As the Minister of Finance, John O'Dowd, announced in his oral statement of 3 March 2026, the Executive will receive an additional £380 million of resource departmental expenditure limit funding over the next three years, following announcements that the then Chancellor of the Exchequer made in her spring statement.…
Four of the five union bodies provided the figures. There was a wide range. The Irish National Teachers' Organisation had a turnout of fewer than half its members, at 46%; the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) had a turnout of 64%; the Ulster Teachers' Union had a turnout of 37%; and NASUWT had a turnout of…
It is quite the opposite. I am listening. That is why I have acted. I commissioned the independent panel that identified the 27 recommendations. I approved the departmental response by way of the action plan to implement the changes that are needed. I engaged constructively with the trade unions, whose executive…