Ulster Unionists are exasperated by belligerent and incompetent Education Minister.
Basil McCrea Ulster Unionist Education spokesperson and Ken Robinson MLA for East Antrim and member of the Education Committee have declared their exasperation at the Sinn Fein Education Minister’s refusal to bring any new information before the Assembly. They also claim the Education Minister has shown contempt for the democratic process by criticising MLAs for asking questions in the Assembly and Education Committee
In a statement Mr McCrea said,
Today Minister Ruane attacked the Assembly’s Education Committee, MLAs, and the media for having the audacity to ask questions about the future of our schools. The debate in the Assembly was a frightening revelation of the Minister’s incompetence and her unwillingness to be held accountable. Accountability is at the very heart of parliamentary democracy. The purpose of the Northern Ireland Assembly is not to be a tame, safe platform for an Education Minister to mouth meaningless platitudes about ‘vision’ and ‘change’ but a chamber in which she is held to account, answering meaningful questions about her actions – or lack of them.
“It is now clear the Minister is determined on narrow, partisan ideological grounds to force a show-down with a majority of the Assembly and with the Assembly’s Education Committee. This is nothing less than a staggering abdication of her responsibility to Northern Ireland’s parents and schools”.
Mr. Robinson said, “Like many other Assembly Members I am deeply saddened that the Education Minister has – once again – refused to work with the Assembly and the Education Committee for the future of education in Northern Ireland. In her deliberately confrontational speech today, she practically boasted of her intent to ram her ill-thought out ‘vision’ through the Assembly, in the face of overwhelming opposition from the elected representatives of the people of Northern Ireland. For the sake of our children’s futures she cannot be allowed to succeed in her desire to destroy Northern Ireland’s hard-earned reputation for educational excellence”.