§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the recognition of community schools in Northern Ireland and when article 139 of the Education Reform (NI) Order 1989 will be invoked by the Department of Education (NI).
§ Dr. MawhinneyArticle 139 of the Education Reform (NI) Order 1989 is already in force. Under the terms of that article it is for the managers of grant-aided schools to apply to be designated as community schools.
The Department of Education for Northern Ireland has received an application from the North Eastern education and library board, which is the manager of controlled schools in its area, and will be consulting the board on this in the near future.