Carrickfergus Academy new build identified as a 'priority project' for Education Minister

In his first Ministerial statement in the Assembly on Monday, February 12, Mr Givan set out his plans for capital investment across the education sector.

He said: “Children across Northern Ireland have the right to be educated in schools which are comfortable and safe, are of good quality and are properly designed and resourced to support their learning.

“I have therefore commissioned, as a matter of priority, a Capital Investment Strategy for Education which sets out a compelling vision for a responsive, agile and innovative programme of capital investment clearly aligned to wider education and Executive policy.

“Across my department’s capital programmes, in every constituency and in every school sector, there are a wide range of much-needed investment projects, which urgently need to be delivered.

“Consequently, I have submitted funding bids of £528 million to the Department of Finance to meet education capital needs next year. As an absolute minimum, I require an additional £100 million of capital above the draft budget allocation to meet pressures in regard to Special Educational Need placements.

“I am also lifting the pause that had been imposed in the absence of a Minister on a number of new build projects for schools in the worst conditions. Integrated consultancy teams will be appointed for each project. This will ensure a pipeline of investment for future years.”

Outlining his intention to seek significant additional capital for the next financial year and future years, the Minister said it was important to “ensure a flow of projects into the early stages of planning and design”.

He added: “I have asked my officials to take steps to commence the procurement of integrated consultant teams for seven of the highest-ranked new-build projects that were announced by my predecessor, Michelle McIlveen. Those projects had been paused due to the extremely difficult budget, but they will now progress in that planning stage.

"The seven projects are: Carrickfergus Academy; Loreto College, Coleraine; Dromore High School; Edmund Rice College, Newtownabbey; Portadown College; Mercy College Belfast; and Malone Integrated College, Belfast.”

The news was welcomed by East Antrim DUP MLA, Cheryl Brownlee, who sought a projected outline for delivery of the project.

In response, Mr Givan said he would write to each of the seven schools about the next phase of the project. “That is to allow the integrated consultancy team to be put in place, which then can take forward the various processes that are necessary to get a school to the stage at which, subject to finance, we can enter into contracts and construction can commence,” he added.

"It will take a number of years before we can get to that stage, but it is important that they are available and that they come online so that, when I make the case for the necessary capital budget, if it is delivered, we are able to be shovel-ready for those projects.”

Carrickfergus Academy, formed after the amalgamation of Downshire School and Carrickfergus College, has operated on a split site since September 2018.