Alliance Education spokesperson, Trevor Lunn MLA, has said that the DUP are opposed to integrated education. He was speaking after the DUP submitted petitions of concern to several amendments from Alliance and other parties to the Consideration Stage of the Education Bill. These amendments would have ensured that the Integrated and Irish Medium education sectors were represented on the new single education authority and that the new body would facilitate and promote Integrated and Irish Medium education.
A total of ten petitions of concern have been submitted to the Education Bill by the DUP. This will effectively block these amendments.
Trevor Lunn MLA said: “The DUP are opposed to integrated education. There is no other way to explain their decision to block these amendments. To say that I am angry at this development is an understatement.
“Northern Ireland has five education sectors which should all be represented on the new single education authority. There is no good reason for the DUP to have blocked these amendments which would have given fair representation to all sectors.
“Poll after poll have shown that there is growing demand for integrated education in Northern Ireland. The decision to block these amendments is indicative of the DUP’s opposition to a shared future.
“Several years ago, Peter Robinson called for an end to segregation in our schools. The actions of the DUP in blocking these amendments show that his words are meaningless.”
ENDS