Debate contribution: Preschool Admissions: Socially Disadvantaged Circumstances Criterion
Debate contribution by Mrs Cathy Mason on .
- MLA
- Mrs Cathy Mason
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 7 September 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Ministerial Statement
- Heading
- Preschool Admissions: Socially Disadvantaged Circumstances Criterion
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5669731
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Minister, you mention equality for all children as what you are trying to do here, but children do not start on an equal footing. They do not all start out from the same place, and, as Education Minister, you should understand that. You know what the socially disadvantaged circumstances criterion was for. You know that it is widely accepted that children from deprived backgrounds are more likely to face educational disadvantage. You also know that early intervention is key to addressing that. I have heard that from your officials' —
90 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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