Minister defends meeting group which represents loyalist paramilitaries

The Stormont Education Minister has defended meeting a group which represents loyalist paramilitaries.

Paul Givan was criticised last week after it emerged he met the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC).

In a statement after the meeting, the LCC said that it had advised Mr Givan that a proposal to build an Irish language school in east Belfast should be stopped.

The LCC, chaired by David Campbell, is an umbrella group which represents the Ulster Volunteer Force, Ulster Defence Association and Red Hand Commando.

On Friday, Mr Givan said no one would dictate to him what decisions he should make.

Speaking at the official opening of Roe Valley Integrated Primary School in Co Londonderry, Mr Givan said “99%” of their discussion was about educational underachievement in working-class communities.

“I met with them as I do many groups around educational underachievement and 99% of that all related to how we can help tackle the educational underachievement within our working-class communities and I’ll always work with those who are willing to try and move their communities forward,” he told the BBC.

“Some of the people criticising me for meeting with the LCC are the same political parties who campaigned to release terrorist prisoners into our communities.”

Mr Givan added: “Nobody will ever exercise a veto of decisions I will take as education minister.

“No other politician will dictate to me what decisions I will take when it comes to schools that should be opened or should be closed.

“When it comes to development proposals for any school, I’ll be very clearly governed by the legislative framework.”