More chaos in education: Ruane allowed on solo run to advance ESA
01 December 2009
Statement by TUV Leader Jim Allister:
“The shambles brought to education by Sinn Fein reached new depths today when the disastrous Minister unilaterally established what she calls “transitional” Education & Library Boards and decreed that her placeman, Gavin Boyd, will perform the key function of accounting officer of each of these “boards”. Where is the legal authority for “transitional Boards”? Where is the legal authority to handpick accounting officers?
“The Minister says she is acting to advance the programme of the Executive, but the relevant legislation, supposed to come in two Bills, has not passed the Assembly. So the premise that she is advancing an agreed framework is bogus. Rather, she is pushing her own agenda to empower ESA and particularly its frontman, Boyd, even though no legislation has passed to establish ESA or downgrade the ELBs. This is a pre-emptive strike by a Minister who cares nothing for due process or order in education, but who is consumed by her own ideological agenda of centralist control and destruction of anything which stands her way.
“The fact that she can do so without hindrance from those who boast they had ended solo runs by Ministers, demonstrates the deception lying behind that empty claim. There are financial implications in what Ruane is doing, so why was it not brought to the Executive and why has the DUP not called in her decision for Executive approval?”
