AQW 31697/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 22/09/2025
Answered On Date: 25/09/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education, pursuant to AQW 31242/22-27 and AQW 31243/22-27, whether he will consider recurrent funding for summer schemes in special schools to provide certainty to schools and parents.

Answer:

As previously outlined in my response to the previous two questions to which this question is pursuant, I, along with my Executive colleagues, anticipate a significant resource overcommitment next year and beyond. Given where the Executive is in the future years’ budget cycle (i.e. Education does not have an opening 2026-27 budget), I cannot currently commit to any recurrent funding at this time.

Instead, once an opening 2026-27 Education Budget has been agreed by the Executive, I will consider funding for summer schemes in special schools alongside the many other and significant funding pressures my Department will face next year.