AQW 39612/22-27

Mrs Michelle Guy
Alliance Party
Lagan Valley

Tabled Date: 02/02/2026
Answered On Date: 16/03/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail the amount his Department spent on legal fees on (i) the appeal against the 2022 High Court decision on the teaching of Religious Education in schools; and (ii) the subsequent Supreme Court case.

Answer:

Total legal fees to date incurred by the Department in relation to JR87 is £131,711.89, however it should be noted that total costs have not yet been finalised.

This encompasses both the appeal against the 2022 High Court decision and the subsequent Supreme Court proceedings (July 2022 to February 2026).

Further costs are expected but not yet confirmed.