Pre-School Boost Was 'SDLP Victory'

Additional funding of £1.3m has been pledged to help combat NI's chronic pre-school place shortage.

Around 1,200 parents across Northern Ireland were left angry and disappointed after it emerged their children had not been given places in schools and nurseries because of this year's unprecedented leap in applications.

Announcing the extra funding, Education Minister Caitriona Ruane said the cash would meet the shortage and ensure that every child will be placed for the 2010/11 school year "where possible".

However, the SDLP MLA for Newry and Armagh and party Education Spokesperson Dominic Bradley (pictured) has said an SDLP Assembly motion on pre-school places "smoked £1.3m out of Education Minister Caitriona Ruane".

"An SDLP motion calling on the Executive to address the shortage of pre-school places was to be debated on Tuesday in the Assembly and many parents whose children were affected by the shortage were due to travel to Stormont.

"It's sad that it took the pressure of the SDLP motion to smoke the funding out of the Minister but I am pleased that the children will now get the pre-school places to which they are entitled," he said.

"The debacle around this shortage of places shows once again that the Minister's planning for pre-school education is badly off the mark.

"The Department of Education was criticised on this very point in the Audit Office report on pre-school education and it is clear that the lessons have not yet been learned. It is now time for the Minister to publish the 0-6 Years Strategy and to address this very important area of education in a joined-up approach."

Last week, Minister Ruane also performed a 'U-Turn' on the rebuilding of an arson-hit primary school in Newtownabbey, again a move that was claimed as being brought about by intense lobbying activity.

See: 'Green Light' For Primary School Rebuilding

(BMcC/GK)