North's Education Minister denies DUP 'cronyism' over allocation of school funding

By Rebecca Black, PA

The Stormont Education Minister has been challenged over the allocation of money for sports facilities while other schools have leaking roofs.

Paul Givan was quizzed after questions were asked about the allocation of more than £700,000 (€840,000) to Lisneal College in Derry through the Education Authority (EA) minor works scheme.

MLAs raised concerns about that allocation at a time of tight budgets and when other schools are complaining of issues with their facilities.

The tone of the meeting was at times fractious as Mr Givan appeared before the committee for two hours on Wednesday afternoon.

He also rejected calls made for him to resign on social media, and said he has recently been subjected to the worst online abuse of his career.

Committee chairman Nick Mathison started the questioning by asking the minister to confirm if he had brought any influence to bear on the prioritisation of the Lisneal application.

Mr Givan responded: “I didn’t bring any influence to bear and the Education Authority confirmed that over the weekend, that there was no influence brought to bear on their decision-making process as a result of my engagement on this particular project.”

Asked whether he was content there was sufficient scrutiny of the project approved under the scheme, Mr Givan responded saying he did not have any concerns.

He said of funding allocations under the scheme below £1 million, in 2024/25 £30 million was allocated in controlled minor works, £34 million in non-controlled minor works, including special schools and a multiplicity of sectors.

Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan pressed the minister over how applications to the scheme are prioritised, such as for a leaking roof or for a football pitch.

Mr Givan said the EA prioritises by factors such as health and safety and safeguarding, adding people can ask that of the EA board.

Pressed further by Mr Sheehan, who said for Mr Givan’s party the DUP “it is beginning to smack of cronyism”, Mr Givan responded “it’s not”, and pointed out he has visited nearly 150 schools from all sectors, as well as saying there are several members of Mr Sheehan’s party, Sinn Féin, on the board of the EA.

The SDLP’s Cara Hunter raised the case of a school in her East Derry constituency which she said she could see “visibly was crumbling down around me”.

She asked the minister if he could understand why some schools are “rightfully confused and frustrated” after seeing that level of funding for a pitch at one school.

Mr Givan replied: “In the exact same way that I have frustration expressed to me from principals who have seen investment go into lots of schools where schools get new-builds, where some schools can’t get a new-build.”

He also accused MLAs of “pinning” the controversy on Lisneal College, to which Ms Hunter said “no-one is pinning this on Lisneal… we are merely asking for clarity and transparency on public funding through the Education Authority that will go to this pitch”.

Ms Hunter also put to Mr Givan that some on social media are calling for his resignation over a number of matters, including his decision to meet with the Loyalist Communities Council and refusing an application for schools in Bangor for integrated status.

Mr Givan said the amount of abuse that has been directed towards him on social media has been “unparalleled in my time as a public representative”, and also hit out at “misinformation” on social media.

“The emails that I have received, from one individual in particular, countless emails, comments in it that are appalling,” he said.