Debate contribution: Schools in Mid Ulster: Procurement Process
Debate contribution by Mrs Linda Dillon on .
- MLA
- Mrs Linda Dillon
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 18 February 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Adjournment
- Heading
- Schools in Mid Ulster: Procurement Process
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4806837
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank my colleague Emma Sheerin for bringing the Adjournment debate to the House. The Member who spoke before me referred to the fact that this could save the Government money. It actually could save schools money. Procurement costs come out of the school budget, and we know how difficult schools are having it and how much they are struggling to save money in their budgets. We need a balanced approach to the challenges that have been outlined; that is essential. We need an approach that maintains robust procurement practices whilst being mindful of cost efficiencies. Empowering our rural schools across Mid Ulster with greater autonomy over procurement decisions could be very beneficial for the schools — pupils, staff and principals — and all the people who are trying to deliver the best education for our children. Simplifying the procurement procedures for lower-value contracts can alleviate administrative burdens. Streamlined processes would enable rural schools to respond swiftly to pressing maintenance needs, ensuring that essential repairs were not delayed by bureaucratic hurdles. In essence, while centralised procurement aims to ensure consistency and fairness, flexibility, with appropriate oversight and accountability mechanisms, is crucial, because that will allow significant savings in our schools' seriously stretched budgets. By striking a balance between good practice and cost-saving measures, essential works can be carried out in our schools without imposing undue financial strain. Other Members have described how that can be done in our school family and by the people who want to support our schools. I have heard examples of the current procurement process costing anything up to three to four times what schools are quoted for maintenance works. In one case, a school was quoted £860 for new flooring; that was for the work and everything, all in. When the school had to go through the EA process, it ended up paying £2,400 for the same company to put the flooring in. The company showed the school its invoice. It did not charge the EA one penny more than the quote that it gave the school. That is seriously concerning. We could give many examples like that, as others have done — we do not need to give more — that show the importance of the issue and the savings that there could be for schools. We expect schools to make efficiencies and savings, but we ask them to do so with not one hand but, often, both hands tied behind their back.
Thank you. The Member has read my mind. I was going to say to the Minister, "You could lead the way here. Other Departments use similar procurement processes that are equally inefficient, so you have an opportunity to work with our schools and show other Departments that it can be done". It can be done with proper oversight and accountability, which I do not want to be removed — we have to be responsible. I urge the Minister to take on board the concerns that are being raised with us by school representatives across Mid Ulster and review the procurement process as a matter of urgency. Whilst the debate is specifically about Mid Ulster, the issue impacts on all school communities across the North. I look forward to hearing your response, Minister, and I am sure that my colleague Emma Sheerin, all representatives across the House and I will support you in anything that you can do to review the process.
570 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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