Lack of decision making condemned

East Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs has condemned the lack of decision making, over an extended period, by the Department of Education, which has allowed school enrolment numbers to decline in Islandmagee, putting into doubt the delivery of a long awaited new Primary School for the district.

In an Assembly answer to a question placed by Mr Beggs, the Minister for Education Caitriona Ruane has said that "the long-term enrolment for the proposed new primary school in Islandmagee has declined to a level substantially below the minimum enrolment threshold of 105 outlined in the Department's Sustainable Schools policy for a sustainable rural primary school."

Responding to this news, the Ulster Unionist MLA said: "This state of affairs is sadly only too predictable. We have had years of drift and dithering by the Department of Education which has lead directly to this situation. Eight years ago a decision was taken to rationalise the 3 rural primary schools in Islandmagee into one state of the art modern primary.

"Ballypriormore closed at the end of 2003, and now after years of delay both Kilcoan and Mullaghdubh are suffering falling rolls. This is hardly surprising as the continued uncertainly about the proposed new school has created an incentive for parents to bypass the existing schools on the Island and send their children to the large primary in Whitehead which has excellent facilities including a nursery department."

Mr Beggs continued: "It is tempting to lay all the blame for this sorry state of affairs with the current Minister. However that would be all too easy. Closer to home we have our own MP who is also Minister for Finance at Stormont. He has announced swingeing cuts in Departmental budgets- particularly Health and Education. Therefore as it stands £22M has been taken away from the capital new build programme in the Department of Education. This makes the prospect of a positive early decision to start building the long awaited new Islandmagee Primary School even more remote."

"All local representatives must join together and redouble our efforts to get this matter progressed and achieve what the parents and children of Islandmagee deserve, and were promised- a modern primary school to serve the needs of local children."