Education Minister criticised for meeting with Loyalist Communities Council

Education Minister Paul Givan has faced criticism for reportedly meeting with representatives of the Loyalist Communities Council earlier today where they asked the minister to scrap plans for an Irish language school in East Belfast.

The LCC is an umbrella organisation chaired by David Campbell, who represent a number of paramilitary organisations including the UVF, UDA and Red Hand Commando.

It is understood that the group voiced their opposition to the construction of a proposed Irish language primary school in East Belfast which was given planning permission by Belfast City Council earlier this year.

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Earlier today, the Minister was also criticised for leaving the chamber early during a debate on lowering the voting age to 16 and expanding civic education in the curriculum.

Alliance Education spokesperson Nick Mathison hit out at the Education Minister over the engagement with the LCC and said that the Minister should be seeking to remove paramilitary influence.

"The LCC is an umbrella organisation for active paramilitary groups and organisations such as this should have absolutely no place when it comes to decision-making over the education of our children," he said.

"Questions must be asked about the Minister's judgement in this case. He should be seeking to remove all paramilitary influence over our children and young people, rather than giving their views a platform."

Sinn Féin MP John Finucane has said reports that the LCC called on the minister to halt plans for the school are ‘outrageous’ and deeply concerning.

“Reports that a group which includes representatives of active Loyalist paramilitary groups have called on the education minister to halt plans to build an Irish language school in east Belfast are deeply concerning," he said.

“Belfast City Council has already approved temporary plans to build a new nursery, soft play and primary school facilities to host Bunscoil na Seolta, and that should move forward without delay.

“The Irish language is thriving across our society and record numbers of our children and young people are being educated through the medium of Irish with more and more demand on our local Gaelscoilanna.

“It’s outrageous that a group which includes representatives of Loyalist gangs are attempting to influence decisions about our children’s future and right to be educated through the language of their choice.

“The Education Minister must make it clear that his department rejects this outrageous demand and that work will continue to progress on delivering this facility.”

It is understood that the group also told the Minister that their objective was to tackle educational underachievement in loyalist areas.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said: “Paul Givan, Education Minister, met with the LCC to discuss a range of issues relating to education underachievement in loyalist areas and undertook to share information on DE’s (Department of Education) RAISE programme and other relevant initiatives. The meeting was arranged at the request of the LCC.”

Belfast City Council gave planning permission for the proposed temporary nursery and primary school and soft play area in June.

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