Debate contribution: Summer Schemes in Special Schools: Cancellation

Debate contribution by Mrs Cathy Mason on 31 March 2026.

MLA

Mrs Cathy Mason

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

31 March 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Summer Schemes in Special Schools: Cancellation

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5471101

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle.

The confusion and chaos of the past week around the cancellation of summer schemes in our special schools have been nothing short of a disgrace, but let us call it what it is: a crisis of the Minister's making. He knew about it for months, and what did he do? Nothing. There was no urgency, no leadership and no plan. Instead, while families here cry out for support, the Minister is off chasing his TransformED pet projects, travelling abroad, visiting Israel and the occupied territories, cheerleading an illegal war and rubbing shoulders with warmongers, all while failing the most vulnerable children at home. That is the reality, and the consequences have been devastating. The decision has caused unnecessary distress to families who already have to fight tooth and nail for every bit of support for their precious child: families who plan their entire year around those summer schemes and depend on them not as a luxury but as a necessity. The cancellation did not have to happen, but, instead of stepping up and doing the work, the Minister took the easy road. He cut the service. Let us be honest: it was a cowardly decision. Minister, a family contacted my office and asked me to raise this directly with you in the House today. Each year, they get one short holiday. They rely on the summer scheme as respite. It provides the only opportunity that they have to get away each year. When the news broke last week, they cancelled their holiday out of fear. They now watch you scramble, unsure that anything will actually replace what you took away. That mother asked me to ask you whether you will still get your summer holiday this year, because her family may not.

I also acknowledge Alma White and the Caleb's cause campaign. That family knows all too well the reality facing so many others and the devastating impact that decisions such as this have on families across the North. These schemes are not optional extras; they are lifelines. For children, they are joy; they are routine; they are friendship; and they are a chance to learn and grow in a safe and familiar environment. For parents, they are a breathing space: a moment to rest, to reset and to cope. Let us not forget the pressure that this has piled on to our special schools' principals and staff. Already stretched to their limits, they are now left scrambling to deal with the fallout that this unnecessary decision and consequent U-turn have caused. One principal told me that they felt sick to their stomach about having to deliver the news to the families. Many staff members rely on that week or two of summer scheme work, and others give up their precious time with their families during the summer: you have pulled the rug from under them, too. Minister, you have long been aware of the crisis in on-site nursing provision in special schools. You should have lifted the phone and worked with your colleague in the Department of Health, with special schools and with children in specialist provision to try to expand the summer schemes so that those children could access them, not taken them away from the most vulnerable. Instead of addressing the issues that matter to people, what did you spend your time on last week, Minister? You chose to instruct officials to draft a written ministerial statement attacking two female Members simply because they dared to question your decisions, bruising your fragile ego. That speaks volumes about your priorities. Minister, I am not here to agree with you or to rubber-stamp your poor decisions; I am here to hold you to account, to challenge you when you get it wrong and to stand up for the families who are too often left fighting on their own. On this issue, you have failed them. The Assembly has already agreed a vote of no confidence in you; school leaders have lost confidence in you; and the teachers, classroom assistants and special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) who come to us every day have lost confidence in you. After this week, Minister, families who have already been through so much hurt and anger have also lost confidence in you. I ask you again today, plainly and clearly: will all summer schemes in special schools definitely go ahead this year? With no spin, no deflection and none of your usual bluster, for the families who are watching today, is the answer yes or no?

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

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:16 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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