Sammy Wilson MP MLA

East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson has today released the following statement:

“It comes as no surprise that Caitriona Ruane, who must be one of the most petty, vindictive and ill-advised Ministers in the Executive should be considering penalising those schools which defy her policy of abolishing academic selection.

The Sinn Fein policy paper which has been leaked to the public today illustrates that the Minister knows she cannot get her way on this issue so is lashing out at those who have thwarted her plans for the destruction of grammar schools.

Of course these schools who have decided to go down the route of academic selection have already factored into their plans the Ministers response to them. They are already establishing means of paying for any selection test and the legal framework for appeals. If Caitriona Ruane thinks that her puny policy of refusing to pay for the test is going to thwart those who are resisting her plan for comprehensive education she has got it wrong.

There are however consequences for her. First of all she is abrogating her responsibility as Minister and removing from her department any say of the intake of those grammar schools who decide not to abide by her guidelines – a strange stance for a Minister who has got a reputation as a control freak.

Secondly as Reg Empey has actually indicated, other Ministers will find ways of stopping any cooperation with her other plans for education and thirdly there is always a possibility that the money she has allocated for the current test can be removed from her and given to schools through another method.

It seems like Caitriona Ruane is stumbling in to a fight with the Catholic grammar schools, controlled grammar schools and other Ministers without any idea of the consequences. This petulant Minister is rapidly learning that her temper tantrums never produced the results that she hopes. She has not got the reputation as being the most effective Minister in the Executive and the question is how long will Sinn Fein put up with her?

ENDS

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