DUP asleep at the wheel on Higher Education Strategy
11 May 2012
Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“When I issued a statement last week highlighting the fact that none of the DUP representatives on the Employment and Learning Committee bothered to stay and challenge departmental officials about the failure of the Higher Education Strategy to tackle the underrepresentation of Protestants at our universities and its promotion of an all-Ireland agenda in Higher Education, an embarrassed Alastair Ross blustered that:
“Jim, as a sole MLA , struggles for opportunities to meet decision-makers and express his views. However, the DUP can influence policies at the Executive table with the minister – the department’s ultimate decision maker – and ensure that no decision is taken that would be detrimental to the unionist community”.
“In light of Mr Ross’s boast how is it then that Dr Farry, the DEL Minister, has said in an Assembly Answer to me that he did not submit the Strategy for executive approval and “there was no requirement to do so”. Where, then, was this much vaunted DUP veto and supposed stopping of solo runs by the St Andrews Agreement procedures? The Minister has published this anti-unionist HE Strategy without Executive approval. Were the DUP asleep at the wheel and failed to insist on it coming to the Executive as a 'controversial' issue, pursuant to the Ministerial Code?
"Moreover, not only did they fail to spot that it should have been brought to the Executive, but they have missed the 7 day deadline from the publishing of the policy to call it back in to the Executive.
“Under the 1998 Northern Ireland Act Ministers are required to bring issues which are “significant or controversial ”before the Executive. This requirement can be triggered by a petition signed by 30 Assembly members, but it must be done within 7 days of the publication of the proposal in question.
"So, for all the bluster of Mr Ross, sadly, it seems the DUP by their default has allowed Dr Farry to proceed with a Higher Education Strategy which is all-Ireland in its thrust and which fails to address Protestant under-representation. The DUP has let the Unionist community down on this critical issue."
