Alliance demands that Minister visits Lisnasharragh school to stop its closure

3.06.41pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 8th Sep 2006

Alliance Deputy Leader, Naomi Long

East Belfast Alliance MLA, Naomi Long, has demanded that the Education Minister, Maria Eagle, visit Lisnasharragh High School to see the good work carried out there, in order to prevent the school's closure. SEELB Commissioners today announced that the school, which George Best attended, will close in August 2008.

Naomi Long stated: "We have asked Maria Eagle to come to Lisnasharragh High School and see the good work being carried out there. If she saw the work done with children with special educational needs, and how they have been mainstreamed into classes in the school, I am confident she would do her best to prevent the school from closing.

"We, and staff from the school, have offered to show Maria Eagle around and I hope that she takes us up on the offer.

"I feel that this type of visit from the Minister would be very beneficial as it would highlight the good practice implemented by the school and would help bolster our chances of saving the school.

"The Alliance Party will continue to lobby Maria Eagle and the SEELB to try to stop the closure.

" I am disgusted by the decision to close the school, and clearly the dictatorial Commissioners who took this decision are only here to rubber stamp disgraceful cuts at the SEELB."

ENDS