Latest releases
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111 releases
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Durkan: Working Families Paying Price for Executive Failure on School Meals
SDLP Communities Spokesperson Mark H Durkan MLA criticises a further rise in school meal costs, saying working families are bearing the impact of Executive dysfunction and the lack of a Budget. He questions the cost gap with England and calls for procurement transparency.
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Education Authority school meal price increase to £3.40 Original release: Durkan: Working Families Paying Price for Executive Failure on School Meals (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 12 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Parents hit with 31% rise in school dinner costs in 13 months
UUP South Antrim Assembly candidate Liz Clarke urges an immediate halt to the January school dinner price rise, which follows the Education Authority's second increase in about a year, and wants the full costings behind its £5.28 per-meal figure published. She also calls for a review of the free…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Education Authority school meal price increase to £3.40 Original release: Parents hit with 31% rise in school dinner costs in 13 months (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 10 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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STOP THE CUTS: Don’t Balance the Books on the Backs of our Children!
Aontú calls on the Education Minister, the Department of Education and the Education Authority to halt proposed education cuts, including a further £20 million in reductions, and to reverse changes to SEN transport and school meal charges. The party also urges restoring school programme funding…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Authority further £20 million education cuts announcement Original release: STOP THE CUTS: Don’t Balance the Books on the Backs of our Children! (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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McDaid slams ‘wear more clothes’ advice in schools
SDLP councillor Catherine McDaid criticises Education Authority guidance telling pupils to dress warmer in schools amid high energy costs, linking it to cuts and crumbling school buildings. She raised the issue at a Derry City and Strabane council committee.
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Education Authority "wear more clothes" energy cost advice to schools Original release: McDaid slams ‘wear more clothes’ advice in schools (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 9 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Wear more clothes advice shows how out of touch the Education Authority has become
UUP Education Spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA criticises Education Authority advice telling pupils and staff to "wear more clothes" over rising energy costs, calling for the guidance to be revised for pupils with sensory needs and for the Department to engage with the Education Committee.
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Education Authority "wear more clothes" energy cost advice to schools Original release: Wear more clothes advice shows how out of touch the Education Authority has become (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 8 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Clear answers must be provided on proposed Richill AFC funding allocation – Sheehan
Sinn Féin Education spokesperson Pat Sheehan MLA calls for clear answers from Education Minister Paul Givan on a proposed £30,000 allocation for a football pitch at Richhill AFC, questioning changed departmental advice after the minister's visit and asking the Education Committee to investigate.
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Proposed £30,000 funding allocation for Richhill AFC football pitch Original release: Clear answers must be provided on proposed Richill AFC funding allocation – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 10 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Education Minister announces three post-primary school projects to…
The DUP's Education Minister Paul Givan announces that three post-primary school works projects, paused due to budget constraints, will move forward to planning and design. The schools are Belfast High School, Ballyclare High School and St Brigid's College, Londonderry, with capital investment…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Three post-primary school capital projects advance to planning and design Original release: Education Minister announces three post-primary school projects to… (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 11 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Funding model is failing rural communities where schools are the glue holding everything together, says Burrows
UUP leader and Education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA warns that the Department of Education's latest school funding announcement risks accelerating the decline of rural schools. He calls for shared education campuses, such as Ballycastle, to be replicated by unlocking dormant capital…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Department of Education school funding announcement July 2026 Original release: Funding model is failing rural communities where schools are the glue holding everything together, says Burrows (opens in a new tab)Archived copy (captured later), Internet Archive capture of 13 November 2026 (opens in a new tab)
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Whyte welcomes funding for North Belfast school enhancement
SDLP North Belfast Councillor Carl Whyte welcomes Department of Education money for a major expansion at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School, saying the new facilities will transform the learning environment and urging the Minister to prevent further delays.
Education Local government Issue: Funding announced for Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School extension Original release: Whyte welcomes funding for North Belfast school enhancement (opens in a new tab)
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Huge support for all pupils having the option to wear trousers – Mason
Sinn Féin MLA Cathy Mason welcomes the strongly positive response to a survey by the Education Committee on a plan guaranteeing all pupils the right to wear trousers, with about 98% in favour. She says the School Uniform Bill was a missed opportunity and calls for it to pass before next year's…
Education Disability and equality Issue: Education Committee survey on pupils' right to wear trousers Original release: Huge support for all pupils having the option to wear trousers – Mason (opens in a new tab)
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Failure to transform education system and address service duplication represents historic budget mismanagement, says Mathison
Alliance’s Education spokesperson and Education Committee Chair, MLA Nick Mathison, says the Department of Education has overspent by hundreds of millions, added bureaucracy through the Controlled Schools Unit and TransformEd, and failed to transform schools or address estate duplication, urging a
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Department of Education budget overspend and school estate duplication Original release: Failure to transform education system and address service duplication represents historic budget mismanagement, says Mathison (opens in a new tab)
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Givan announces £3.7million investment in RAISE Locality Led Projects…
Education Minister Paul Givan announces over £3.7million for 61 Locality Led Projects under the RAISE Programme, which aims to raise educational achievement and reduce disadvantage through place-based community work. Funding will support projects on attendance, standards and pathways for learners…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: RAISE Programme £3.7million Locality Led Projects funding announcement Original release: Givan announces £3.7million investment in RAISE Locality Led Projects… (opens in a new tab)
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Middleton welcomes High Court judgment on RAISE Programme
DUP Foyle MLA Gary Middleton welcomes a High Court ruling dismissing challenges to the Education Department's funding allocation method for the RAISE Programme, saying the court confirmed the approach was lawful and rational. He says projects can now proceed without delay.
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: High Court judgment on RAISE Programme funding challenges Original release: Middleton welcomes High Court judgment on RAISE Programme (opens in a new tab)
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Mathison calls for urgent clarity on EA Home to School Transport provision
Alliance education spokesperson and Education Committee chair Nick Mathison MLA urges the Education Minister to give schools and parents swift certainty on EA home-to-school transport and to protect pupils. He questions the EA's request that taxi drivers cut rates by 10% and asks for the evidence…
Education Infrastructure and transport Issue: EA request for taxi drivers to cut rates by 10% Original release: Mathison calls for urgent clarity on EA Home to School Transport provision (opens in a new tab)
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Education Minister comments following December Monitoring Round…
Education Minister Paul Givan says his Department faces a current funding shortfall of c£267m for 2025-26 after receiving £25.6m for teachers' pay against £37m requested, and will take a Ministerial Direction to the Executive. He also welcomes £22m in capital funding and calls for a larger…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Executive monitoring round allocates £162m capital and £104m public sector pay Original release: Education Minister comments following December Monitoring Round… (opens in a new tab)
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Cllr Flynn welcomes supreme court ruling on religious education in schools
Green Party councillor Flynn welcomes the Supreme Court judgment on compulsory religious worship in Northern Ireland schools, urging the Executive to act quickly to overhaul the education framework so pupils from all backgrounds, including non-religious families, feel respected.
Education Disability and equality Issue: Supreme Court ruling on mandatory Christian worship in NI schools Original release: Cllr Flynn welcomes supreme court ruling on religious education in schools (opens in a new tab)Archived copy, Internet Archive capture of 20 November 2025 (opens in a new tab)
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Burrows Warns School Meal Price Rise Will Hit Struggling Families
UUP MLA Jon Burrows, Education Spokesperson, says the Education Authority's roughly 20 per cent school meal price rise will hit struggling families hard, adding £92.50 per child over a 185-day year. He will write to the Education Minister seeking an explanation and urging reversal.
Education Economy and employment Issue: Education Authority school dinner price increase announcement Original release: Burrows Warns School Meal Price Rise Will Hit Struggling Families (opens in a new tab)
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Education cuts the result of years of financial mismanagement – Sheehan
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan blames years of weak financial management by successive DUP Education Ministers for current education budget pressures, pointing to planned school meal price rises and possible higher music service charges, and says Audit Office warnings about the Education Authority have…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: School meals price rise and proposed music service charges Original release: Education cuts the result of years of financial mismanagement – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)
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Hunter: North falling further behind on free school meals
SDLP Opposition Education Spokesperson Cara Hunter MLA says the North is falling further behind on free school meals after the Education Authority announced nearly 20% rises in school dinner costs. She calls for universal free school meals and restored holiday hunger payments instead.
Education Social security and welfare Issue: Education Authority school dinner price increase announcement Original release: Hunter: North falling further behind on free school meals (opens in a new tab)
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Too many schools are being failed by successive DUP Ministers – Sheehan
Sinn Féin's Sheehan says a Public Accounts Committee report on the schools estate is alarming, blaming successive DUP education ministers for an £800 million maintenance backlog. He calls on the Department and Education Authority to deliver the promised estate strategy in early 2026 and urges…
Education Public finance and taxation Issue: Public Accounts Committee report on schools estate maintenance backlog Original release: Too many schools are being failed by successive DUP Ministers – Sheehan (opens in a new tab)