Caning For Ruane Over Meeting Mix-up

It was a 'D-' for the Executive Minister for Education this week as she was forced into an apology over messing-up her timetable to make an important statement to fellow MLAs.

Sinn Fein's Caitriona Ruane's 'Must try harder caning' came after she was three minutes 'late for class'.

She said: "I had intended to make a statement to the Assembly, updating members on the completion of the Capital Review.

"Unfortunately I was held up at another meeting and will instead update the Assembly on the completion of this work at the earliest opportunity. I would like to apologise to members for this delay," she said, yesterday.

The Education Minister explained she had mistakenly stayed in another meeting until 10.33am, three minutes after she should have been addressing MLAs.

Speaker William Hay said Caitriona Ruane owed the House an explanation after she turned up too late to make the important statement.

While earning the scorn of the Assembly's 'headmaster' for her timekeeping, she was also criticsed for not handing in her 'homework' on time - as she failed to supply MLAs with a copy of her statement half an hour before she was due to deliver it as she is required to under standing orders.

However, she did give broad indications of what she would have said: "People in the sector are obviously aware of the pressures the education budget is currently under and the significant cuts we have had to suffer especially in the capital builds funds.

"I would like to have seen another 10 or so of new builds to have proceeded on site before the end of the financial year.

"That is still possible if I receive the monies I have bid for in the June monitoring round," she said, noting that, "if these additional funds are not allocated for capital build projects then I fear that a delay on commencing these schools for some months is inevitable. We simply cannot build schools without the money".

"My Department has a net capital budget for 2010-11 of £169m, which is over £84m lower in real terms than 2009-10.

"I desperately want to build new schools. I currently have around 70 projects that are announced for major capital works funding and a further 100 potential projects at various stages of Feasibility Study and Economic Appraisal.

"All these schools have been identified as having serious accommodation issues and all of these projects need to be delivered.

"I am committed to providing the best standard of accommodation for our young people," the Minister continued.

"In 2005/06 and in 2006/07 direct rule Ministers handed back capital funds of £62m and £94m.

"In contrast we have a proven track record of spending, since 2007, 39 new schools representing an investment of £253m, have been completed.

"In the last two years I have fully spent my capital budget. If we get the money we will therefore spend it."

(BMcC/GK)