People across Holywood and beyond recently
received disappointing news that the Education Board plans to pursue its plan
to close Redburn Primary School. I condemn without hesitation this decision by
unelected Education Board Commissioners to proceed regardless of public opinion
and close this valuable Primary School whilst the new Holywood Schools project
remains live and ready to proceed once monies become available.
In
response I received disappointing news from the Minister outlining that;
“in any area, potential projects, such as
that for the Holywood multi-schools project, will be critically assessed as
part of the area based planning process”.
With
work only recently started on drawing up this new area based planning process
Minister O’Dowd’s response effectively means that new Schools project has yet
again been stalled.
The need for the Holywood new schools project has already
been clearly established with, for example, Priory Integrated College
oversubscribed but having to remain in substandard premises which urgently need
replaced. Planning Permission has already been obtained and, as far as I am
aware, all we need is the funding to proceed.
I
am therefore extremely disappointed that the Education Minister is adopting
what seems to be a contradictory and hypocritical approach, supporting the plan
for new school buildings and a shared campus in Omagh whilst unnecessarily
delaying the new Holywood Schools project whilst yet another review is
undertaken. People are fed up with excuses and delays. The Education Minister
needs to intervene and give us the green light to proceed
