AQO 2880/22-27 Oral question to the Minister of Education
To ask the Minister of Education for an estimate of the maintenance costs for the Bushmills Education Centre site since its closure in August 2017.
Asked by Sian Mulholland MLA on 5 January 2026
- Answered
- Oral
- Answered in the Chamber
- Tabled
- 5 January 2026
- Answer due by
- 12 January 2026
- Answered
- 12 January 20267 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Education
- Priority question
- No
Answer
Answered in the Assembly Chamber on 12 January 2026. Extract from the Official Report (Hansard), including any supplementary questions:
Mr Givan
The total maintenance costs for Bushmills Education Centre since its closure in 2017 to the present day have been approximately £39,000.
Ms Mulholland
Thank you. Minister. The centre's closure in 2017 was a massive loss. However, given the admirable new commitments by the Scottish Government in their Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill, what percentage of children in Northern Ireland have the opportunity to engage in an outdoor education experience?
Mr Givan
I do not have that information to hand. What I can say to the Member is that there are increasing opportunities in our schools to have outdoor learning experiences, not least through the Forest School programme and Eco-Schools, as well as through parts of the curriculum that we are updating and refreshing, such as the world around us. The Education Authority is looking at the Bushmills Education Centre in the context of its wider school estate. If capital funding were to become available for youth work, it could be used to redevelop that facility for the Causeway Coast and Glens youth offices and an Oasis centre for young people aged between four and 25 years. That is entirely subject to capital funding being available, but plans are still in place for ways in which that site could be used for young people in the future.
Mr Brooks
The Minister mentioned capital funding for youth work. Will he give us an overview of the current position with that?
Mr Givan
We continue to face significant capital pressures, and no funding has been available to progress any youth capital schemes for the voluntary or statutory sector since 2023. Given the budgetary pressures that exist, work on new youth facilities is not being taken forward at this time. However, I continue to make the case for additional — substantial — capital investment in educational infrastructure, including youth-focused settings, to the extent that I corresponded with the Finance Minister. I suggested that we could have had a special ring-fenced youth capital programme that would help to take forward a lot of the youth projects in Members' constituencies. However, that was turned down. Rather, it is to be dealt with within the Department of Education's baseline capital facilities budget, which, as Members know, is wholly and inadequately funded to meet the need.