Trevor Lunn MLA said: “We need urgent agreement on ESA and we need to see the Executive move forward with this. We need to be able to advance this process so that our education system is not left in uncertainty any longer.
“Post Hillsborough a committee was set up to try and remove the logjam on outstanding issues and we have yet to see any positive results. Has that Committee spent any time at all discussing this most important issue?
“The longer we have stalemate on this, the more damaging it is for education in Northern Ireland.
“ESA has the potential to make our system more efficient and will help us in terms of ensuring joined-up thinking on education strategy. The creation of this body will help save vital public money at this difficult time and quick progress on this is essential.
“In these times of tightening budgets we need to push forward with the introduction of ESA. If there are still outstanding issues around the Transferors’ rights and ownership of the controlled schools it is time they were specifically addressed.”
ENDS