Departmental Budgets

Oral Answers to Questions — Education – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 2:45 pm on 31 January 2000.

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5.Mr K Robinson

asked the Minister of Education if he will take into account non-departmental funding when allocating departmental budgets.

Photo of Martin McGuinness Martin McGuinness Sinn Féin

Departmental budgets are allocated on the basis of educational need, having regard to departmental priorities and the overall availability of resources. Many schools receive financial and other support from parents and local businesses, and it would be inequitable to penalise such schools when determining their budgets.

Photo of Ken Robinson Ken Robinson UUP

I cannot help noticing that the Minister has failed, as yet, to respond to my written questions linked to this subject. Can I be assured that he and his Department are fully committed to a policy that has equality and transparency as its twin pillars? Can I be further assured that when he announces this year’s capital build programme every sector of society represented in the House will be able to rejoice in the obvious equality and parity of esteem which he and his Department will have shown to each educational sector and to both sections of our divided community?

Photo of Martin McGuinness Martin McGuinness Sinn Féin

I will make sure that the Member gets a reply to his written question.

I have already outlined the criteria which will form the foundation of the capital building programme, and they will be to do with educational need. We have to move forward of the basis of equality. I come from a community which for many generations felt that it was being treated unequally and unfairly. As Minister for Education, I have no intention of attempting to inflict that feeling on any other community. It is my responsibility to be fair.

During this year I intend to have further discussions with the Chairman of the Education Committee, Mr Danny Kennedy, and his Committee members. It is vital that when school capital building programmes are announced, every section of our community feels that it is being treated justly and fairly. There is a challenge in this for the Education Committee and for me, and I intend to rise to that challenge.