Bell tolls for Ruane as MLAs say: it's time to go

Education

Friday, May 02, 2008

By Kathryn Torney

Pressure was mounting on Caitriona Ruane today to resign as Education Minister.

The results of a Belfast Telegraph survey reveal that she has lost the support of the majority of her cross-party scrutiny committee.

The Telegraph asked each of the Assembly's 11 education committee members if they have confidence in the Minister and, secondly, if they thought she should resign.

The four DUP members (Sammy Wilson, Mervyn Storey, Michelle McIlveen and Nelson McCausland) and the UUP's Basil McCrea confirmed that they have lost confidence in Ms Ruane and all called on her to resign.

The two SDLP members refused to answer 'yes' or 'no' to the questions posed by the Telegraph, but the party's education spokesman Dominic Bradley said " huge swathes of people within the education community have lost confidence in the Minister".

In response to the question of whether or not she should resign, Mr Bradley, also speaking on behalf of his party colleague Mary Bradley, said that there was "a large degree" of dissatisfaction with her "but that she should review her own situation".

"Her failure to bring forward definite proposals has tainted the confidence of the public in her and the confrontational style she has adopted also does not help to advance her policies," he added.

The DUP's Nelson McCausland said: "I have absolutely no confidence in the Minister. She is out of her depth and needs to be replaced."

UUP education spokesman Basil McCrea said: "Caitriona Ruane has to go. If she isn't willing to resign then her party must take action as this is damaging the Assembly and the standing of all politicians."

However, his party colleague Ken Robinson said: "I do not have confidence in the Minister unless she comes forward with very quickly with positive suggestions that can be debated and amended. If she fails to do this then at that stage I think the Minister would have to review her position."

Trevor Lunn, Alliance education spokesman, was the only committee member outside Sinn Fein to say he had confidence in the Minister and did not think she should resign.

"However, my confidence is being severely tested," he added.

Sinn Fein's Paul Butler and Michelle O'Neill said they had confidence in the Minister and that she should not resign.

The Telegraph was referred to a recent press statement from Mr Butler, which stated: "This campaign to get rid of the Minister, waged by political opponents and those with vested interests in maintaining the status quo, will not succeed. What we are now seeing are the forces opposed to the changes our educational system needs. These include sectors of the establishment media."