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Commenting on the Education Minister’s proposals, Mr Burnside said :

“Suggesting a selection age of 14 when the vast majority of schools are organised on an 11-19 basis shows that this Minister is out of touch with reality. What is she telling us ? Does she mean that she will create new middle schools catering for the 11-14 age group ? Does she mean that pupils will continue in Primary Schools until they are 14 ? Either route would be a massive undertaking and would take anything up to 10 years to realise. Yet the Education Minister says the 11 Plus will be gone by 2009 to be replaced by selection at 14 in 2009.”

“The only place in Northern Ireland which has selection at 14 is North Armagh with its local Dickson Plan. It may be appropriate in that area but if the Minister does try to roll out something like the Dickson Plan across the Province, she will be ignoring the fact that the Dickson Plan actually still contains an element of selection. The only difference is that it happens at 14 instead of 11.”

“This sort of stuff, like the Minister herself, belongs in the Celtic mist. It is the sort of un-costed clap-trap which takes no account of the harsh financial realities facing this Executive. We need to get a dose of realism into this equation at the earliest opportunity.”

“We should be tacking the real educational issues such as literacy, numeracy, creating a skilled and employable workforce, sorting out the problems of under achievement and celebrating and building on the enormous academic success which our Grammar Schools have been.”

Ulster Unionist MLA David Burnside today said it would be a sad indictment on Policing and Justice in Northern Ireland if former IRA Commanders serving at the heart of Government were to be immune from investigation by the Historical Enquiries Team.

Mr Burnside was responding after writing to OFM/DFM asking if any interviews have taken place between Ministers, officials and Policy advisers and the PSNI with reference to any historic crime investigation. The response was that no such interviews had taken place.

In a statement Mr Burnside said,

“I will not let this subject drop. I am trying to ascertain if Ministers are now immune from investigations carried out by the Historical Enquiries Team and will be taken further action.

If they are immune it will be a sad indictment of policing and justice in Northern Ireland and makes a mockery of the remit of the Historical Enquiries Team.”

David Burnside MLA, said today that the only credible way Culture Minister Edwin Poots could properly distance himself from the controversial Maze decision was by stepping aside from the decision and delegating it to another Minister.

“Minister Poots is inextricably linked to the Maze project, not just because the Maze is in his constituency but also because he has been a vociferous supporter of it as Chairman of the Maze Panel right up until he was appointed Minister.”

“When I asked him in the Assembly about what steps he was taking to distance himself from the Maze decision I received a one word answer – none. This is the arrogance of power. Minister Poots does not appear to understand there is a widespread perception that it is inappropriate for a Minister to preside over the award of a contentious major project like this to his own constituency.”

“I would suggest that Minister Poots delegates the task of making this particular decision to one of his Ministerial colleagues – possibly Finance Minister Peter Robinson or even Environment Minister Arlene Foster.”

“New-DUP seem to think that when they do a side deal with Sinn Fein that everyone else should have no say. I predict that this attitude will come back to haunt them.”

Responding to today’s announcement of a government package for Ministry of Defence civilian staff which includes a bonus payment, UUP Defence spokesman David Burnside MLA said,

“We will be examining the detail of this announcement over coming days. I do however welcome the bonus payment which appears to be an addition.

While no amount of money can ever be a suitable replacement for people who have lost their jobs I do welcome government efforts to soften the blow and treat people in a fair and equitable manner.”

Ulster Unionist MLA David Burnside has strongly condemned today’s government decision to close Ballykelly Army Base. Mr Burnside said the closures and redundancies were much more severe than expected.”It`s too much, too early,” he said.

The South Antrim MLA insisted that St Patrick’s Barracks should have been retained as a regional headquarters for the Royal Irish in Ireland.

Pointing to the continuing terrorist threat in the region, he added: “The Government just seems to be determined to implement its so-called normalisation irrespective of anything that might happen on the ground.

And these civilian staff supported the Army during the worst of the Troubles, so the MoD needs to look after them with proper compensation packages.”

Responding to the package announced for the Royal Irish today, UUP MLA for South Antrim and Defence spokesman David Burnisde said,

It is a shame that this Government that fights wars against non-existent weapons of mass destruction in Iraq is not prepared to retain a strong security policy at home in our part of the United Kingdom.”

Ulster Unionist Defence spokesman and South Antrim MLA David Burnside today urged caution after snippets of the redundancy package available for the Royal Irish Home Service Battalions were leaked.

The UUP will continue to lobby for the best possible deal. It would be wrong to give the impression that all soldiers will be getting a generous package. Like all settlements there will be winners and losers.”

UUP MLA and defence spokesman David Burnside today called on Government for an early release of the redundancy package for the Royal Irish Regiment. The UUP made representations to government last week on the Royal Irish issue.

In the meantime I would call on Government to speed up the process. An early release of the package details is both necessary and overdue. Those affected have been waiting almost seven months to hear of their financial future since the government announced in a shabby and disrespectful way their plans to disband the Home Service Battalions.”