The North Belfast MLA said, “The Minister has been aware of the pressures facing higher education since she took office. She was also made aware in March of other significant threats to university programmes and the impact that could have on City Deals, but has waited until today before doing anything.
We should not ignore that this is the former Finance Minister asking the current Finance Minister for this funding. A little over twelve months ago Caoimhe Archibald told other Ministers “there is no escaping that the money we have can’t keep up with demand”. She more than anyone should know the competing demands for Monitoring Round allocations and how that cannot provide a long-term solution.
The DUP have always been clear that we need a solution that works for students, for higher education institutions and in the best interests of Northern Ireland. That can only be delivered through proper dialogue with Ministers but also with the universities themselves. It requires a strategic approach and something much better than a last-minute request for stopgap funding to avert a crisis she has been aware of for many months now.”