Ulster Unionist Party Leader and Education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA has criticised the decision that the Permanent Secretary will not attend tomorrow's meeting of the Education Committee, describing it as unacceptable and a further undermining of accountability at the Assembly.

Jon Burrows MLA said:

“Today's announcement that the Permanent Secretary will not attend tomorrow's meeting of the Education Committee is unacceptable and further undermines accountability at the Assembly.

“The proper operation of the Committee should not be the casualty of an ongoing dispute between the Minister, Sinn Féin and the Alliance Chair.

“Our job is to scrutinise the Department on behalf of pupils, parents and staff, and we cannot do that if senior officials simply decline to appear. Of all the civil servants who should have the resilience to turn up at a committee and answer questions, it is the Department's most senior and highest paid official.

“We were due to question the Permanent Secretary on the serious budgetary pressures facing the Department of Education. As the Department's Accounting Officer, the Permanent Secretary is personally answerable to the Assembly for how that budget is managed. The public is entitled to expect that accountability to be honoured, not withdrawn when relationships become difficult.

“I am calling for a swift resolution to this dispute. The Chair, Nick Mathison MLA, should properly exercise control of Committee proceedings; the Deputy Chair, Pat Sheehan MLA, should keep his questions within remit; and the Minister should drop the boycott.”