Givan and Nesbitt apologise to families over summer scheme U-turn ‘distress’

Education Minister Paul Givan and Health Minister Mike Nesbitt have apologised for the distress caused by an announcement that special school summer schemes would not go ahead this year.

MLAs told a recalled Assembly that the U-turn on the withdrawal of summer schemes was emblematic of “Executive chaos”, and that vulnerable children and their families should not be used as “pawns”.

Mr Givan acknowledged the announcement that the summer schemes could not go ahead was “disruptive” and “difficult” for parents and special school pupils.

“I regret the distress it caused and on behalf of all involved, I apologise to them,” he told the Assembly.

He said some politicians were looking to “exploit” the issue and accused Sinn Fein of “using children to pursue their vendetta” against Israel and Donald Trump.

Mr Nesbitt told the Assembly: “I want to offer an unconditional apology to the families for the 24 hours of unnecessary stress and distress.”

The Assembly was recalled after it emerged on Thursday that the summer schemes, which provide support for children with additional needs during the summer break, would not take place this year over concerns about the healthcare available for pupils.

The Education Authority (EA) said nursing-led support was needed at the schemes and would not be provided, while the Department of Health said onsite registered nursing provision was not needed at all sites.

After public and political backlash, the EA announced 24 hours later that the summer schemes would go ahead.

The Department of Health said it would provide nursing support at each summer scheme site after discussions between the EA and the departments of education and health.

Mr Givan credited the intervention of Mr Nesbitt after he directed “his officials for the correct outcome to be delivered after months of engagements with health officials”.

Speaking in the Assembly on Tuesday, Alliance deputy leader Eoin Tennyson said “to pull the rug” on the schemes was “an appalling dereliction of duty” by Mr Nesbitt and Mr Givan.

He said the announcement had “slipped out” just as the Assembly broke for recess “knowing full well the chaos that would ensue for families”.

He said a public backlash should not have been necessary to resolve the issue and the resolution within 24 hours “exposes just how shambolic and blase the approach has been to these vital schemes”.

He added that the Assembly was recalled “to give voice to the frustrations felt by parents, by schools and by the wider public” and families “should not be used as pawns in a game of political chicken between two ministers”.

Sinn Fein MLA Cathy Mason said the cancellation of summer schemes was “nothing short of a disgrace” and it was a “crisis of the minister’s own making”.

She accused Mr Givan of “chasing pet projects” by visiting Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories rather than focusing on “the most vulnerable children here at home”.

The SDLP’s Colin McGrath said the issue was “a stain on this Executive” with ministers “blaming each other” before they “had to bow to public pressure”.

TUV MLA Timothy Gaston said summer schemes for children with special educational needs “are not an optional extra”.

“Don’t try to tell me that this whole thing doesn’t stink,” he said.

“The whole sorry episode boils down to nothing more than a political game, shamelessly using the most vulnerable children in our society and their families as pawns.”

People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll said the issue was “a masterclass in Executive chaos” and parents bore the weight of Mr Givan’s “abject failure”.

Speaker Edwin Poots said at the beginning of proceedings that the issue was a serious one and the debate should not be used “just for taking lumps out of each other”.