North West school fund limited until 2015

EDUCATION Minister Caitríona Ruane has confirmed eight planned new schools in the North West - including the Foyle/Ebrington co-location project - will not commence until the summer of 2012 at the very earliest with limitations in capital funding lasting until 2015.
By The Newsroom
Published 10th Feb 2011, 15:03 BST

The Sentinel recently reported how in her Draft Budget 2011-15 the Minister confirmed that in light of cutbacks it would not be possible to commence any new schools in 2011-12.

Now the Minister has confirmed there will be no funding for a new Foyle/Ebrington school for new projects at Newbuildings, Eglinton, Belmont House, Ballykelly, Rossmar or Artigarvan until summer 2012 at the earliest.

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The above schools are amongst 18 contained in the Department’s Investment Delivery Plan (IDP) for the Western Education and Library Board (WELB) area.

She said: “The Draft Budget 2011-15 highlights significant reductions in the capital budget for Education over the next four years. Any investment in new builds, if at all possible, is therefore likely to be intermittent and limited until 2014-15 and it will not be possible to commence construction of any new schools in 2011-12. I will write to schools to inform them of the position when the budget position is finalised.

“I want to continue to build much needed new schools, but the rate at which I can do so is totally dependent on the availability of resources. The reduction in the capital allocation will require a comprehensive reassessment of how the limited capital funds available should be deployed on a strategic and prioritised basis to address the most pressing needs.

“I will, as I recently emphasised to the Education Committee, be lobbying for £800m, unallocated resources to go to education. This work will be a priority for my Department in the coming months.”

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The Minister pointed to progress on a number of other schools in the Londonderry area and across WELB over the past four years. She stated: “Since May 2007, 11 major capital projects have been completed in the WELB area, representing an investment of around £118m, this includes, Drumragh College (£10m), Enniskillen Integrated PS (£2.4m), Holy Cross College Strabane (£31.3m), Lisneal College Derry (£14.2m), Lisnagelvin PS Derry (£5.5m), St Mary’s College Derry (£22.5m), St Cecilias College Derry (£22.5m) and Drumrane PS Dungiven (£1.1m).”

Related topics:FoyleNorth West