Government failing our children - MEP
05 December 2007
Statement by Jim Allister MEP
“With less than two months remaining before CCEA’s deadline for direction relating to post-primary education, the Minister for Education has proposed a system which has left the Assembly deadlocked. Ruane’s proposals, the abolition of academic selection and “moving the point of transition to 14” (whatever that means), would necessitate a massive change in relation to education in Northern Ireland. She is a minister out of her depth and driven by socialist political dogma.
Whereas Ruane’s ruinous proposal cannot pass without cross community backing, the question remains as to how a solution is actually found. The options seem to be deadlock or a mish-mash compromise based, not on educational imperatives, but the political imperative of agreement for agreement’s sake. Meantime our children and their parents are the ones to suffer.
The absurdity of government by mutual veto means that the important question of how post primary education will work remains unanswered. This issue clearly demonstrates that devolved government as presently constituted is bad government – unable to deliver for the people of Northern Ireland on the big issues and, in this instance, failing our children.”
