Committee Concerns on Area Planning

The Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Education is scrutinizing the Department of Education and the Education & Library Boards’ (ELBs’) plans for the sustainability and viability of post-primary schools. This involves the use by the ELBs of Viability Audits and the development of Area Plans. The Area Plans are the subject of an ongoing consultation.

Education Committee Members have received feedback from many schools, parents and concerned organisations that the consultation time is too short; the process is too complicated and that plans are not consistent across different sectors and ELB areas.

We caught up with Committee Chairperson, Mervyn Storey MLA, at a Committee stakeholder event on Area Planning to learn more about the issue and the Committee’s concerns.