Debate contribution: Belfast Metropolitan College, Castlereagh Campus: Proposed Closure

Debate contribution by Miss Deirdre Hargey on 21 May 2024.

MLA

Miss Deirdre Hargey

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

21 May 2024

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Adjournment

Heading

Belfast Metropolitan College, Castlereagh Campus: Proposed Closure

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4491998

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I welcome today's discussion. I thank Joanne for securing this important debate and thank all the Members who contributed. At the outset, I want to say explicitly that no decision has been taken on the future of the Belfast Metropolitan College Castlereagh campus. I am acutely aware of the depth of feeling that exists around the future of the campus. There has been a large response to the consultation that has taken place, and it is right that time is taken to assess the responses and consider them in the time ahead. Indeed, as David Brooks said, I experienced that at first hand when, in my capacity as an MLA for South Belfast, similar to Matthew, I attended the public engagement event in February. I still have the notes that I took at that event. I listened at first hand to students who were there that night. It was not a student event, and I know that there were other events. We heard, in particular, from the trade unions and the 167 staff who are working at the site. We also heard from ex-staff, and it said something about the campus that they still feel that connection. Importantly, we heard from the community that resides around the campus as well. In the context of the impact of the campus, locality is important, where these things are geographically based. We know that 24·5% of the learners come from east Belfast. There is a huge cohort, as was said, that comes from beyond east Belfast, and, of course, that is a testament to the campus. When you look at the numbers there, it shows that, even in the locality of east Belfast, more could be done. At those engagements and since then, concerns have been raised about the widening of educational attainment gaps and the potential loss of local economic growth if closure were the selected option. It is evident that the local community, the staff — past and present — and those who attended the college feel strongly that the campus should be retained. Indeed, I am aware that a considerable number of consultation responses have been received, including many from Members of the Chamber. Again, I welcome that, and, as I said, we want to take the time. I know that the campus and the college are looking at that, and, obviously, as Minister, I will also want to look at that. The institution makes a contribution to the lives of people not only educationally but in the economic and social links with the campus, and that as been touched on in the contributions today as well. Equally, it is right that Belfast Metropolitan College take the appropriate steps to understand the long-term viability of the campus, including looking at whether there is an ambition to invest in the site. That is something that I will want to look at closely. Belfast Met's criteria include important elements such as health and safety, increasing sustainability targets and the need to deliver a meaningful modern curriculum for learners from state-of-the-art facilities that are in line with the current emerging industry needs. As Conor Murphy set out when he delivered his economic vision here a number of weeks ago, skills are a key enabler of driving good jobs, increasing productivity, delivering regional balance and decarbonising our economy. Conor's vision statement explicitly referenced the importance of colleges and the need to grow college numbers. The significant uplift in lecturers' pay represents the first important step towards that goal, and Belfast Met's consultation criteria for the campus include investing in the Castlereagh campus to address structural issues, review curriculum delivery and increase student numbers. As a result, full consideration should be given to investigating all possible options in the future. That includes exploring alternative uses for the campus, consolidation or restructuring possibilities and the need to be mindful of the legal and financial implications. I am encouraged to see that Belfast Met is taking proper time to understand all the potential inputs to the important consultation process.

That is reflected in the numbers that came forward. When full, proper consideration has been given to the issue, the college will share its findings and proposals with the Department for a decision to be made. The Department will ensure that all key concerns have been taken into account in the decision-making process. It will also ensure that all risks and opportunities are thoroughly evidenced and considered as part of any decision on the future of the campus. The previous Minister, Conor Murphy, met a variety of representatives with an interest in the campus, including the MP for the area and the trade unions that have been involved in the ongoing discussions and consultations. He has tasked officials in the Department to ensure that any future proposal is robustly assessed. I have met officials on the back of notes that I have taken to make sure that we robustly look at the issues when they come forward from Belfast Met. In relation to the ongoing provision of services at Castlereagh, I can confirm that the college has advised that it fully intends to continue its standard curriculum delivery in 2024-25. I am aware that speculation had been building on the issue of closure due to minor adjustments to service delivery and the renewal of contracts. I have been assured by the college that those are standard changes and in no way signal the decision to run down the campus. An issue around catering contracts was also raised in February. I have received assurances that those contracts will continue to run into next year. Some of that was clarified on the night of the meeting. I thank Belfast Met for its continued engagement and thank all those who offered their views on the future of the much-valued institution. On my part, I am committed to ensuring that our further education system is fit for the future, is accessible to all and, importantly, is a key contributor to the economic vision that Conor set out around good jobs, productivity, decarbonisation and regional balance. We want to robustly look at all the issues around the ambition of Castlereagh campus. Areas such as IT, engineering and the creative industries are all growth sectors for the economy going forward. Locality is incredibly important, and that is something that we want to pay particular attention to as well. I thank the Member for securing this important debate, and I look forward to continuing engagement with key stakeholders in the time ahead. When we receive the information from the college, we will look at it robustly.

1,101 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not qualifying

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 10:35 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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