Ms Tina Merron:

I will answer the question on the funding model. Getting the schools established in the first place is the issue. The Department of Education does not have a strategy to start up new integrated schools; it is left to parents. We provide support to parents if they wish to consider either their school transforming, which is one method, or establishing a new school on a greenfield site. A lack of strategy, which is left to the Integrated Education Fund and our sister organisation, the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education, NICIE, is the key missing element. Once a parent group establishes, they face various challenges. They need to get a certain number of pupils and a religious balance. All of this is supported by us and by NICIE.

There is little support from the Department of Education. When it has a development post that can go to the Department, the Department will often insist on proof of evidence. For example, the only way to prove there is demand for an extra P1 class in primary school is actually to establish it. That way nobody can argue that the demand exists because the pupils are in the seats. We would fund the additional P1 class, a teacher and other costs until that proof of demand is established. The funding gap and the lack of strategy from the Department of Education are key issues.