St Mary's teaching students take closure protest to Stormont

STUDENTS from St Mary's Teacher Training College in Belfast brought their protest against closure by Department for Education and Learning Minister Stephen Farry to Stormont on Tuesday 27 January.

Farry plans to close both St Mary's and Stranmillis colleges with the view to a merger.

While Farry cites financial and economic reasons for his decision, those opposed to his plans accuse him of putting Alliance Party policy of integrating education above other considerations.

The closure of St Mary's will not only impact on Catholic teachers but also the Irish-medium sector as the majority of Irish-language teaching graduates come through the Falls Road training centre.

West Belfast Sinn Féin MP Paul Maskey has warned of the effect closure will have on the already-depressed west Belfast economy.

“West Belfast is among the most deprived constituencies across England, Scotland, Wales and the North. St Mary's generates a lot of business for the area so its closure will ripple out and effect the hundreds of people who benefit from its presence,” he said.

“The wider issue is that the closure of St Mary's will further ghettoise west Belfast, which needs more, not less, investment”.

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