Motion or amendment: Cancellation of Summer Schemes in Special Schools - Amendment 1

Motion or amendment by Mr Pat Sheehan on 30 March 2026.

MLA: Mr Pat Sheehan
Party at the time: Sinn Féin
Date: 30 March 2026
Type: Motion or amendment
Business: Motion Amendment · Private Members' Motion · to “Cancellation of Summer Schemes in Special Schools”
Heading: Cancellation of Summer Schemes in Special Schools - Amendment 1
Assembly identifier: Document 478589

Read the official Assembly record Open Data source

Text

Cancellation of Summer Schemes in Special Schools - Amendment 1
Leave out all after “That this Assembly” and insert:
‘notes the decision to reinstate summer schemes in special schools in 2026 following their initial cancellation by the Education Authority; recognises that these schemes provide a lifeline for many families and that their cancellation would have had devastating consequences for children with special educational needs and disabilities and their parents; expresses frustration at the unnecessary uncertainty and distress caused by the initial decision and the manner in which it unfolded; further notes the ongoing concerns regarding healthcare provision for participating children and the longstanding gaps in nursing services in special schools; notes that a vital service for children with special needs was placed at risk, despite the Department of Health and the Department of Education accounting for a significant majority of the Executive’s budget; and calls on the Minister of Education and the Minister of Health to provide a full explanation of how this situation arose, to ensure that it is never repeated, and to work urgently and collaboratively to secure funding and nursing provision for summer schemes in special schools going forward.’

192 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.