Debate contribution: Transforming Capital Investment: Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs
Debate contribution by Mr Paul Givan on .
- MLA
- Mr Paul Givan
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 30 April 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Ministerial Statements
- Heading
- Transforming Capital Investment: Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4487045
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for highlighting that excellent school in Larne. I know that she has campaigned for the provision there. For it, as one of those 10 schools, this is about driving through the design process to get to the point of being in a state of readiness for funding, and that will be important. Obviously, in the past, when we had school enhancement programmes, there were spending limits. The Education Authority removed a number of those special schools because the finance that was needed would have breached the spending limit in place for school enhancement programmes, which was just over £4 million. I am removing that limitation on special schools for school enhancement programmes, so that limit will not be there for those special schools when it comes to the funding envelope that will be needed.
The Member makes an important point. I agree that we should make sure that we use appropriate language in our terminology. He makes an important point about that.
Obviously, the Department and the EA follow procurement rules on such matters, ensuring that there will be the type of social clauses that the Member has articulated. It would be an important opportunity to involve the community where builds are taking place. That should be part of the design process.
The Member talked about Castle Tower, which is one of the 10 schools in the school enhancement programme. I am trying to make sure that we get through that process so that, when funding becomes available, we can do new builds. The Member is obviously concerned about that response, so I undertake to write to him in detail to provide an update on Castle Tower. The statement is designed to help every special school in Northern Ireland. I want to ensure that it does that, especially in Ballymena.
The statement outlines what we are trying to do to support the provision of special education in mainstream schools. That is a key part of our work. We are putting in specialist provision, and we will put further provision in. We have already secured commitments to do that, and the funding will be made available to make sure that we have the appropriate accommodation that is necessary to meet needs. Obviously, the Executive were able to agree a process for trying to resolve the pay and grading review.
I have invited the unions to engage in that process, and I hope that they will, because I believe that we can get a positive resolution. What I do not want is disruption to special schools and children with special educational needs not being able to go to their place of education as a result of any potential strike action. We should never have a scenario where children with special needs cannot be properly supported as a result of that. I believe that we can get a successful outcome and a resolution, and I hope that, in the days and weeks ahead, we will be able to do that without the necessity for any form of strike action.
The Member raised that issue at this morning's meeting with Rossmar, which he had asked for. During that meeting, as a result of the approach that we are taking to the capital programme, I was able to advise the principal and Mr Robinson that, from what was intended to be a minor works scheme, we will now move into a school enhancement programme. Our assessment will take a whole-school approach to the needs of the school in Rossmar, and, obviously, as I indicated, we will take that forward. I was delighted to be able to convey that information to the Member, the principal and the board of governors this morning.
The Member articulates well the very reason why I have had to take the measures that I have taken today in announcing a discrete, stand-alone capital programme for special education. The school that he referenced, Thornfield, has been sitting alongside all the other schools in the school enhancement programme. I have now asked the Education Authority to prioritise those 10 schools so that we can accelerate the process and get to the point where we can, subject to capital, move into contract and carry out the necessary works.
708 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.03 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.88).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.03 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.04 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.88 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.03 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits | 0.99 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.01 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 10:02 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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