Ms Tina Merron:

The difference this Bill will make is that the Northern Ireland Department of Education will have to have a strategy, look at demand and have targets. Those targets and an assessment of how the Department is doing will have to be brought back to the Assembly every year. This is really important and there has never been anything like this in place before. Parents started the integrated schools so that the Northern Ireland Department of Education would have a strategy to meet that demand. This Bill is important for that reason.