Paul Givan
Lagan Valley · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“The EA's enhanced support model has been out for consultation. The Member's party is the largest political grouping on the Education Authority, so his party supported the model's being consulted on.”
“Protections around strike action and action short of strike are firmly established in statute for all workers, including teachers. If the Member is referring to the Education Inspections Bill, let me be clear: nothing in that legislation removes or undermines that right.”
“The issue was covered at length at the Education Committee. The position is still not where it ought to be. When I came into office, the position that I inherited was much worse than it is today.”
“It is an area that I have had to navigate, as have many previous Education Ministers. Industrial relations is an area that needs ongoing work. I have outlined how we can address it, but I come back to saying that, when workload was undefined, trade unions struggled to specify the challenge.”
“That is not a fair characterisation. In fact, I was with Justin McCamphill, the leader of NASUWT, at the launch of the curriculum reform, at which he commended me for it and said that he thought that it was good. I have sat in many a meeting with trade union representatives during which they have said, "This is a good initiative.”
“That is exactly why there is a 16-week consultation period, rather than the normal 12 weeks or the minimum eight weeks; to allow the public and teaching profession to very much engage in that curriculum, which I commend to all Members.”
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“In reviewing the demographic outcomes for schools that have transformed to integrated status, there are findings that should raise concern. Among six post-primary schools that have transformed, most have not met the year 1 target of 10% minority representation, and none of them approaches the 40:40:20 aspiration articulated by many in the integrated sector. In some cases, the proportion of pupils from the minority community is as low as one tenth of the majority. <BR /> <BR />The picture is similar in primary schools. Of the 25 that have transformed, many still show a significant imbalance, even decades after transformation. Some have fewer than five pupils from the minority community.”
“Controlled schools often provide a higher level of integrated status demographically than some integrated schools. They should be given the respect that should be afforded to them.”
“My approach has been informed by the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) 'Statement of Principles'; by academic research, such as that on contact theory; and by the lived experience of integrated schools across Northern Ireland. I trust that that provides clarity to the Member and to Members more widely.”
“I believe, however, that meaningful integration must be grounded in a genuine mix of pupils from both traditions. Transformation should reflect genuine integration and not just a change in designation. Therefore, as a general principle, the Department will expect transformation proposals to demonstrate that a school is likely to attract at least 10% of its year 1 or year 8 intake from the minority religion or that 15% of the combined number of Protestant and Catholic pupils will be from the minority religion in the first year of transformation. The balance should improve over time, with an aspiration for there to be broadly similar proportions from both communities.”
“I thank the Member for that question. I recently published a written ministerial statement that set out my approach to the concept of "reasonable numbers" in the context of integrated education. That is a key consideration under articles 71 and 92 of the Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 and is now further defined in the Integrated Education Act (Northern Ireland) 2022. Put simply, the legislation requires that a school that is seeking to become integrated must be "likely to provide integrated education". That includes educating reasonable numbers of Protestant and Catholic pupils together, a principle that has been central to integrated education since its inception. <BR /> <BR />I will be clear: the Department will not apply a rigid, one-size-fits-all definition. I recognise that local circumstances vary.”
“<BR /> <BR />I responded to that pre-action protocol to indicate that it is a waste of public funding. It is also a waste of court time. The courts need to deal with serious issues and with the criminals that come before them, rather than the speculative approach adopted by the Equality Commission. I have shared the approach that I took of responding legally to the Equality Commission with the arm's-length bodies of the Department of Education, and I expect them to take a similar approach; indeed, I encourage all public bodies to treat the Equality Commission's endeavours with the contempt that they deserve.”
“Following the UK Supreme Court judgement, rather than providing guidance, the Equality Commission said that that decision would be "highly persuasive" in similar situations, should they go to court or before tribunal. The Equality Commission then — wrongly, in my view — went down the route of issuing pre-action protocol letters to over 60 public bodies, I believe, including the Department of Education, to solicit their views. It then went to the High Court to seek some form of declaration to help inform how it would provide its own guidance. That approach is not the convention for how we take decisions on policy that can then be challenged and refined by the courts. It is highly irregular for the Equality Commission to act in the way that it has, and it is a waste of public funding, of which the Equality Commission is in generous receipt.”
“<BR /> <BR />The position is one of common sense. Yes, absolutely, sensitivity is required in navigating those issues, but the position that I outlined in May has been affirmed in the legal opinion that I received, and that underpinned the decision taken for the Education Authority to immediately withdraw its unlawful and flawed guidance in the area.”
“I thank the Member for the question that he has raised. It is an important one, and the deputy First Minister touched on it. <BR /> <BR />In May this year, I outlined my clear position on behalf of the Department in respect of such matters. I do not believe that a boy who identifies as a girl should participate in girls' competitive sports or that they should use girls' changing and toilet facilities. The UK Supreme Court's ruling in April made it clear that the interpretation of "male" and "female" in the Equality Act 2010 had to be based on biological reality. The 1973 regulations on school premises state that schools have to provide toilet facilities for those above the age of six on the basis of their being a boy or a girl. The ordinary and natural meaning of that is around their biological reality.”
“What we have achieved in the past 18 months will pale in comparison with what we will do in the next 18 months on behalf of the people of Northern Ireland.”
“The Member is absolutely wrong. He would know that if he had even looked at the court ruling on the Integrated Education Fund challenge to the strategy. That document was not published by me; it was published when Stormont was not operating. That was a settlement of the outworkings of a position that I had reached with the Integrated Education Fund, which took the case, as a result of my work to update the document on integration. The Integrated Education Fund agreed that I had got it right. Before I came into post, under direct rule, people had got it wrong. The most basic level of information would have saved the Member's embarrassment at getting his facts completely wrong. <BR /> <BR />I am proud of the Department of Education's track record.”
“<BR /> <BR />My track record in the Department of Education has delivered £14 million of funding to hard-working families through a new childcare scheme; 2,500 full-time places that were previously part-time in our nursery schools; new teacher recruits, who started on £23,000 when I came into office but are now on £31,500; a significant uplift in teachers' pay; a transformational programme of professional development for our teachers; and the establishment of a curriculum task force that will look at every subject to ensure that we are not just good in the United Kingdom but world-class. I am proud of the track record that I have delivered in the Department of Education, which is underpinned by the manifesto commitments that our party gave to the electorate.”
“People choose to go into opposition because they do not want to take responsibility; others choose to go into government to take responsibility. I am a Minister who will take that responsibility seriously on behalf of the people who elected me, and I will take decisions. I am not here to passively occupy this post; I am here to get things done.”
“All those measures are designed to support parents to support children.”
“The Sure Start budget in 2025-26 will be £37·4 million: that is a significant increase. The Book Trust budget will be £75,000: that will help engage parents in reading. The Getting Ready to Learn budget will be £634,000.”
“<BR /> <BR />We also have the Sure Start programme, which has been expanded to enable more children and families to avail themselves of that vital educational development. A 10% uplift in 2024-25 enabled 22 new areas to come into that programme, which supports 2,400 additional children and their families. There will be a further 11% uplift in 2025-26, and that will enable the introduction of an outreach provision to additional children and families who have been identified as being in need of Sure Start support and live outside the Sure Start geographical areas.”
“I echo Mr Harvey's comments. It is vital that we help. I know no parent who does not want to get the best educational outcomes for their children, but, often, they need help to do it. <BR /> <BR />There is support through the extended schools programmes. There is an uplift of around 15% for participating schools in their allocation to offer their parental engagement programming. In the 2025-26 financial year, almost £1 million of funding will be provided for parental engagement under the extended schools programme. When it comes to a bid from the public sector transformation fund for SEN reform, £27·5 million has also been confirmed by the Finance Minister. That will allow us to take forward a number of interventions over the next five years, including projects that will have direct interface with parents and carers.”
“<BR /> <BR />Under the extended schools programme, schools receive additional funding to promote parental engagement and build stronger school-community links. Other geographically targeted initiatives, such as the full service programmes, Sharing the Learning and the west Belfast community project, support families through all phases of education, helping to reduce barriers and improve outcomes. <BR /> <BR />School attendance is also a key driver of achievement, and parents play a central role in ensuring regular attendance. To support that, the Department and the Education Welfare Service produced 'School Attendance Matters: A Parent's Guide', offering practical advice to help parents understand their responsibilities.”
“Parental participation is a cornerstone of the educational process and, indeed, success, with strong evidence linking parental engagement to improved outcomes. Recognising that, my Department has integrated parental engagement across strategies and programmes aimed at tackling underachievement. <BR /> <BR />Sure Start empowers parents as their child's first educators. Through shared reading and positive home learning, initiatives such as Getting Ready to Learn help parents to support language, confidence and communication. The SEN reform agenda also seeks to help parents to support their children. The RAISE programme promotes a whole-community approach to tackling educational disadvantage. Strategic area plans have been developed for each locality and have been informed by stakeholders, including parents.”
“That is what we need to allow projects such as Tandragee Junior High School, along with other schools, to move forward.”
“I thank Mr Irwin for raising the issue. He pushes not just for that school but for other schools in his constituency. <BR /> <BR />Following the completion and approval of the business case, the preferred option will be progressed through the next design stages, which are stages 2, 3 and 4, so considerable work is to be carried forward before the school gets to the point at which we will be able to move towards allocating a contract for construction. Again, that will be subject to the availability of the capital budget. <BR /> <BR />Let me assure the Member of the fact that, as he continues to push hard for the schools in his constituency, I will continue to make all the representation that is needed in the Executive for what is required in terms of a significant, additional and sustained capital increase for the Department of Education.”
“A technical feasibility report has been completed by the integrated consultant team that identified options and costs to provide suitable accommodation for Tandragee Junior High School. A review of the options identified in the report was completed by the Department’s technical advisers in September 2024. A business case to identify the preferred option to be taken forward in design is being drafted by my Department’s economists and is at an advanced stage. It is anticipated that the business case will be finalised and that Department of Finance approval will be in place by the end of this year.”
“I thank the Member for his question. He and others in Upper Bann have asked that question of me. That school is at the point at which it requires capital funding. It has completed all four of the stages that need to be completed. There is an issue regarding the council about the final site, but, like a number of schools, it is at the point at which it can move forward if there is capital funding available to do so. Frustrating as it is, the school is at a much more advanced stage than many other schools, but it is still waiting to get the green light as a result of my Department's insufficient capital allocation.”
“One project is awaiting an integrated consultant team appointment, and another has returned to the strategic definition stage following reconsideration of the size of the school that is required and planning requirements on the preferred site that was identified. That outlines in detail the significant pipeline of work and the insufficient funding that has been allocated to my Department to take those projects forward, never mind wanting to add further capital projects that the education system requires and deserves.”
“I thank the Member for having me in North Down and giving me the opportunity to visit the schools that I was able to attend. I thank him for the work that he does to campaign for those schools. <BR /> <BR />To give the precise number, 103 projects have been announced under the major capital programme since 2012. A further 11 projects were transferred from Fresh Start funding to the programme in 2024. Of those 114 projects, 40 are complete; seven are on site or have appointed a contractor; 14 are at the technical design and pre-tender stage; nine are at the spatial coordination and detailed design stage; six are at the concept design stage; 14 are at the preparation and brief stage; and 22 are on hold.”
“That is the honesty that people in the Chamber need to have about the reality of the decision-making process in the Executive.”
“<BR /> <BR />Capital funding has been given a SEN-first priority. We have spent £114 million on special educational needs provision to provide capacity in the school estate. That was not additional funding that we were given. That funding could have been spent on other capital projects, but we — rightly, in my opinion — have to use it to meet the needs of children with special needs. They have had the first call on that funding. That is why the challenge, collectively, goes out to the wider Executive. Whilst Members will rightly vociferously campaign for new builds in their constituencies, when it comes to the reality of decisions that are being taken in the Executive by their leaderships, that is not reflected in the allocation that comes to my Department.”
“It is not about Malone being added to a list; it is one of many schools that are on that list. Of the 28 post-primary schools on the list that were identified for new build, only seven have moved forward to the various design stages — 21 schools have not advanced at all — and the 28 post-primary schools sit alongside primary schools on the list. The list is extensive. If we were to continue with the current projected capital expenditure, it would take decades to deliver what is already on the list of schools that require a new build. That is why I have not been able, much as I would like to, to open up a new call for schools to indicate that they require a new build. There are many schools that deserve a new build, but, because of the insufficient funding, we have not been able to do that.”
“I agree with the Member's sentiments on the need for progress to be made on the school. We are at the point of completing the stage 1 process, but there are other stages to go through. I want that to advance so that the project is subject to moving forward on a construction process when the capital budget is available. We are not at that stage, so I will not say to Members, "Give me more capital funding, and I could deliver this school". We still need to go through the various stages before I can make the case either for identifying the capital funding within my Department or for making a bid to the wider Executive as part of the Budget process for capital funding to be released, but I absolutely share the sentiments expressed by the Member.”
“A technical feasibility report is being prepared by the project integrated consultant team in order to identify options and costs to provide suitable accommodation for Malone Integrated College. Once the feasibility report is complete, a review of the options identified will be undertaken by the Department's technical advisers. The technical feasibility report is due to be completed in October of this year. A business case to identify the preferred option will then be taken forward.”
“That is important, and it speaks to the point that I have responsibility, but, so, collectively, do other Departments and agencies, for ensuring that we maximise the safety of transportation around and in our schools.”
“The Member raises a good point. In the vicinity of the school environment, the Education Authority has responsibility for improving the management of vehicle movements; in the public highway, it is the responsibility of the Department for Infrastructure. We engage with DFI on where it can help to improve junctions where there are schools, and, indeed, at times, we push for reductions in speed limits. I have welcomed the continued roll-out of 20 mph limits at schools. There is an enforcement issue in that we need to remind road users of those, and I want to see greater visibility of the PSNI outside schools, particularly at peak rush hour, to send a message to road users to slow down.”
“There is responsibility on all of us, as road users, to be aware of what is happening around us and, particularly when it comes to school buses and the young people whom they transport, to be mindful of our actions as drivers.”
“I know that the Minister for Infrastructure wants to introduce legislation on that, but be aware that collisions often occur when young people are getting off a bus because a vehicle overtakes the bus. At times, those collisions have been fatal or caused serious injury.”
“I thank the Member for his comments. He campaigned on issues concerning a particular bus route in his constituency, which we have now been able to resolve satisfactorily. When it comes to working on those particular issues, as I said to previous contributors, we are represented on the Department for Infrastructure-led strategic road safety forum. That forum brings together relevant Departments and organisations to make sure that, where we have a direct impact on road safety measures, the right people are there and engaging. My Department and the Education Authority contribute on that forum to the development of measures to try to make sure that we operate routes that are as safe as possible. <BR /> <BR />My appeal to the general population is this: when you drive near a bus that has pulled in, do not overtake it.”
“When it comes to not only the identification of safe locations but the effective operation of their routes, private bus operators and Translink constantly manage them to make sure that they are as safe as possible.”
“It is a concern that we can all reflect on in our constituencies. Parents will want buses to pick up their children at the most convenient location, but there is also a tension, because providers, be they private bus operators or Translink, need to make sure that their buses access and stop at locations that are as safe as possible. Although everyone would like to be picked up from right beside their house, that is not always the safest location. Indeed, when it comes to having effective routes, it is not always possible to pick up everybody who is travelling to school on a particular route from their house, because of the time that it would take to have a collection point at each house.”
“That is a concern for me as Minister, but it is also a concern for me as a parent that we try to make sure that parents transport children to the approved pick-up locations. It is important that those locations be chosen in a way that maximises safety.”
“When I met Minister Kimmins about that issue a week ago today, we discussed a range of issues to do with the safety of children and young people when they are accessing public transport and stepping off buses, as well as what measures we might take to provide more information. For example, how can we provide better information to those who are in receipt of bus passes and to their parents? <BR /> <BR />We therefore discussed a range of issues, including the safe location of pick-up points. It is ultimately the responsibility of parents to make sure that they transport their children and young people to the appropriate pick-up location. The Member highlighted the issue of people walking along country lanes and so on.”
“The school curriculum also provides an opportunity for teachers to address road safety at primary and post-primary level. The Education Authority encourages schools to follow the DFI road safety guidance that is available online, and it offers additional safe school transport information to support the road safety campaigns of the Department for Infrastructure and Translink.”
“Ensuring the safety of pupils travelling to and from school is paramount. Recently, I met the Minister for Infrastructure and representatives from the Education Authority to discuss collaborative measures to improve bus safety. We reviewed the current safety measures on school buses, such as special lighting that alerts other motorists to exercise caution as schoolchildren may be boarding or alighting the bus. I understand that we are the only jurisdiction to have implemented such measures on school transport, and we discussed ways to refresh and reinforce that messaging. Road safety education within schools plays an important role in shaping the attitudes and behaviours of children and young people and helps them to become safer road users, both as children and into adulthood.”
“That is a process that my Department, working with the Education Authority (EA), is carrying forward, and, of course, the criteria around that seek to ensure that there is fairness when it comes to the allocation of the standardisation process.”
“The Member has outlined issues that I am happy to come back to him on in correspondence. I think that the last point was to do with the standardisation process in nurseries. By that, I assume that he meant converting to full-time hours. Forgive me if I have misunderstood what he was trying to ask. The process around standardisation is one that we are taking forward. Starting this September, 2,500 places have been converted from part-time to full-time provision. That is a welcome increase in the ability of parents to have children in full-time places. We will seek to bring forward another 100 settings for the next academic year, and that will be another 2,000 places that we will move into full-time provision.”
“The Member rightly raises the issue of the statementing process, which is often about carrying out the necessary assessments so that we can identify the needs. I have made it clear that we need to move away from a legalistic statementing process, because teachers can often identify that a young person or child, including those with autism, has additional needs, and we should be able to provide that support without having to go through an often litigious process during which parents are rightly fighting for their children. Part of the transformation that we announced in the reform delivery plan was very much about making sure that we are putting the right support in at the right time and not going through this bureaucratic process, which is often frustrating and delays the interventions that are necessary.”
“However, I say this to Members from all parties: if you are serious about helping children with special educational needs — I do not question that you are — that needs to be followed through so that, when I go to the Executive to seek financial support for day-to-day or capital expenditure, we prioritise children with special educational needs. I need Sinn Féin, which holds the purse strings, to support me on that, and it also requires other Ministers, some of whom campaigned for canteens for prisoners, to recognise that we should be getting support for our children with special educational needs. All parties will need to support me as I continue to make the case.”
“I made a transformational statement about special educational needs in the Assembly in January of this year. I quickly followed that up by publishing the special educational needs reform agenda, and I followed up on that with a five-year delivery plan in February 2025, outlining the measures that we need to take to transform our special educational needs provision. That work continues. Funding was secured from the Executive for the transformation work, which will allow us to make some progress in respect of the funding allocations.”
“He has confirmed that he wants to support me in doing that. However, he also indicated the financial pressures that his Department, like my Department, faces. I will continue to champion the needs of our special schools so that they get the right support from our medical professionals.”
“Fundamentally, the Department of Health needs to ensure that appropriate health professionals are available. The particular interest is around making sure that allied health professionals are available to help to meet the need. Knockevin and other special schools have made the case — I agree with them — that there needs to be an enhancement and greater provision of medical practitioners in those settings. We have an increasing number of children who, thankfully, are living longer with complex medical needs. They are entitled to an education, but they can receive that education only in special school settings when they are in receipt of the appropriate and necessary medical care. The Department of Health is required to step up and support me, as Education Minister. It is something on which I engaged the Minister of Health, Mr Nesbitt.”
“That was the basis of a meeting that I also held with the Chairman of the Education Committee, Mr Mathison, at which the case was made forcefully by principals in attendance about the need for medical professionals to be in their facilities. There was a period in which those services were withdrawn. The outworking of that meeting was a report that was commissioned by the Public Health Agency. I understand that that has been completed and submitted to the Chief Nursing Officer for assessment. I expect an outcome from that within the next number of months.”
“I met the Minister of Health, Mr Nesbitt, in November 2024, and we discussed nursing provision in special schools. I await the outcome of the Public Health Agency review of health needs facing children in special schools. Of course, my officials continue to work closely with colleagues in the Department of Health and the Public Health Agency to consider issues that affect all schools, including our special schools.”