Every imported question, contribution and motion, with its classification. Unflagged, uncertain and not-yet-analysed records are all included so the analysis can be checked independently.
I thank the Minister for giving way. When I was at school in Fermanagh, I was involved in shared education-type models, which totally enriched my educational experience. We will have the Brookeborough and Strule campuses in rural areas. They will enrich good relationships and bonding in those areas. It is regrettable…
I thank the Minister for giving way. The Minister said that he supports all sectors and parental choice. Will he commit to meeting principals and parents who are trying to get children into naonraí and naíscoileanna, which are Irish-medium preschools and nurseries? Parents are struggling to get them into those…
I accept the Minister's point and Mrs Dodds's point, but what you have to and should recognise here today is that, historically, both the Irish-medium sector and the integrated education sector have been underfunded, and that should be remedied.
I welcome the opportunity to respond to today's motion. First, let me begin by paying tribute to integrated schools right across Northern Ireland. They play an important role in the wider mix of schools and sectors in Northern Ireland. I am sure that colleagues will join me in extending that tribute to all our…
I support the motion, not least because it is long past time that we moved towards a secular education system. In a state that was built on sectarianism and communal division, it is crucial that children live and are educated together, despite the divisions that are foisted on them by those in power. It is also…
Thank you. Very briefly, does the Member agree that, in December, the UK Government made it very clear during the talks process that re-profiled funding packages were going to be in the mix for the scheme and that all parties, including the SDLP, were party to those discussions?
Before I begin in earnest, I will declare an interest. I am a parent of a child who attends Forge Integrated Primary School, which is one of the affected schools. For nearly a decade now, it has been promised funding to build a new school at the old Knockbreda High School site, but it has now had that funding…
Parties across the Chamber worked really hard to deliver the Integrated Education Act in the last mandate, because, collectively, we recognised that bringing children and young people from different backgrounds together through the education system can positively impact on our society and will help to promote…
Does the Member agree that it would be disrespectful to people in Omagh, where the Strule campus is long awaited and will probably not come in on budget at £150 million, to not vote for the amendment?
I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate and thank the Members who tabled the motion. I am happy to support the motion and the amendment. It has been mentioned by a number of Members, but I want to reinforce the point about how shared education must not be forgotten in the discussion. Shared education is a…
I thank the Member for giving way. I do not think that the Member is speaking about my contribution, but will the Member accept that Fresh Start funding specifically states that it is for shared and integrated education and that pulling that money affects shared and integrated projects together?
Will the Member agree that, in North Down, Bangor Central Integrated Primary School received planning permission for its new build just last week? That is a project that is ready to go, but, because it was promised Fresh Start funding, it did not put in for other capital works. It will have been an absolute waste of…
I rise as a member of the Education Committee and the Alliance Party but also as a representative for South Belfast, a constituency that has been particularly impacted by the gutting news about the Fresh Start funding. The community of South Belfast is devastated that the much needed new builds for Forge Integrated…
I thank the Member for giving way. Given that she previously held a ministerial portfolio, will the Member agree with me how important it is that, even with non-binding motions, we are accurate when we try to reflect the existing legislation and that it needs to be accurate, word for word? Our very words and actions…
As a preface to my comments, I want to repeat words that I have said in the House many times. We all aspire to having a Northern Ireland that is more peaceful and more prosperous and where our children can learn and play together; to having a society in which we value education as the means to a good job; to providing…
I welcome the opportunity to discuss this important issue, which is causing real concern to young people, their families and school communities. As has been said in the debate, we worked collectively in the Chamber in the previous mandate to deliver the Integrated Education Act 2022. Important work was done in the…
I welcome the contributions thus far. I also welcome the fact that the Department's acting director of investment and infrastructure will be coming to the Education Committee tomorrow, so we can probe the issues further. That is really welcome. Almost a decade after funding was ring-fenced by the Fresh Start…