Mr Lunn will also propose amendments to increase the number of political representatives to include the Alliance Party on the new board and to make it a duty of the new authority to encourage, facilitate and promote Integrated and Irish Medium education.
Trevor Lunn MLA said: “Northern Ireland has five different education sectors and I believe that they should all be represented on the new single education authority.
“The Integrated and Irish Medium sectors represent a significant percentage of the school population; so I hope that every party will support the Alliance amendments to ensure that every sector has a voice in the new authority.
“There is no logical reason why these two sectors should not be represented on the new authority.
“I am also concerned that the new board would not include a representative of the Alliance Party. It has been agreed for several years, such as on the Policing Board or the Haass talks, that the five main political parties are always included. If parties are serious about inclusion then they should be supportive of increasing the political make-up of the board.”
ENDS
Alliance amendments
Clause 2, Page 1, Line 11
At end insert –
‘(2A) It shall be a duty of the Authority, when exercising its functions, to encourage, facilitate and promote integrated education.’
Mr Trevor Lunn, Mr Chris Lyttle, Ms Anna Lo
Clause 2, Page 1, Line 11
At end insert –
‘(2B) It shall be a duty of the Authority, when exercising its functions, to encourage, facilitate and promote Irish-medium education.’
Mr Trevor Lunn, Mr Chris Lyttle, Ms Anna Lo
Schedule 1, Page 3, Line 19
Leave out (c) and insert –
‘(c) 11 persons appointed by the Department (“appointed members”) of whom-
(i) 3 shall be persons appearing to the Department to represent the interests of transferors of controlled schools, appointed after consultation with persons or bodies appearing to the Department to represent such interests;
(ii) 2 shall be persons appearing to the Department to represent the interests of trustees of maintained schools, appointed after consultation with persons or bodies appearing to the Department to represent such interests;
(iii) 1 shall be a person appearing to the Department to represent the interests of integrated schools, appointed after consultation with persons or bodies appearing to the Department to represent such interests;
(iv) 1 shall be a person appearing to the Department to represent the interests of Irish-medium schools, appointed after consultation with persons or bodies appearing to the Department to represent such interests;
(v) 1 shall be a person appearing to the Department to represent the interests of grammar schools, appointed after consultation with persons or bodies appearing to the Department to represent such interests; and
(vi) 3 shall be persons appearing to the Department, so far as practicable, to be representative of the community in Northern Ireland.’
Mr Trevor Lunn, Mr Chris Lyttle, Ms Anna Lo
Schedule 1, Page 3, Line 17
Leave out ‘8’ and insert ’10’
Mr Trevor Lunn, Mr Chris Lyttle, Ms Anna Lo