Allister Challenges DUP on Cross Border Education Survey
14 February 2012
Statement by North Antrim MLA Jim Allister:
“I took the opportunity presented by today’s North-South Ministerial Council statement from Minister O’Dowd to challenge him on the education survey in border areas. Sadly the DUP minder who accompanied O’Dowd to the meeting – Nelson McCausland – failed to stop the survey.
“At the NSMC Education meeting ministers progressed how parents could send their children to schools on the other side of the border.
“I have grave concerns about this development as Northern Ireland’s tax payers could well end up paying for the education of children from the Irish Republic. Additionally, the infrastructure of our education system could be fixed to accommodate not the needs of pupils from Northern Ireland but pupils on either side of the border. Under a Sinn Fein Minister it would be no surprise to me to see schools sited to facilitate southern enrolment.
“I intend to explore these issues further but it is already evident that a potentially significant concession was, once again, gifted to Republicans”.
