Northern Ireland

Assembly committee meeting on Ulster University Belfast campus held in private

The Ulster University campus expansion in Belfast is continuing. Picture by Hugh Russell
The Ulster University campus expansion in Belfast is continuing. Picture by Hugh Russell The Ulster University campus expansion in Belfast is continuing. Picture by Hugh Russell

AN urgent Stormont briefing on a multi-million pound university build - which will cost £110m more than estimated - has been held behind closed doors.

Ulster University (UU) has asked the Department for the Economy for a £126m loan after auditors warned it did not have enough cash to complete its Greater Belfast Development.

Work is continuing on the project to transform the 'art college' campus on York Street.

A business case envisaged it would be open to students in September 2018 and cost £254m.

Most courses are transferring from Jordanstown and student numbers in the city will rise from 2,000 to 15,000.

The price tag is now estimated at £363.9m, an audit report found, more than 40 per cent in excess of the original budget.

It will also not open until at least 2022.

The assembly's economy committee yesterday heard from department officials and the Strategic Investment Board, but the meeting was held in camera.

Officials updated members on the Belfast campus and also plans to expand UU's Magee campus.

The New Decade, New Approach deal said the executive would bring forward proposals for the expansion of Magee in Derry, including an increase in students.

This will help it realise its 10,000 student campus target and a graduate entry medical school.

The university had to abandon its plans to recruit medical students to begin this year.

Questions have been asked about why the meeting took place in private when large sums of public money have been spent on the Belfast build.

It is understood the decision was based on some of the discussions being commercially sensitive.

Committee member John O'Dowd had previously asked economy minister Diane Dodds for further details on the conditions placed on UU in relation to the loan.

The Sinn Féin MLA was told in a response to a written assembly question that "the conditions within the draft heads of terms for the proposed provision of additional loan financing to Ulster University are commercially sensitive at this point".

Mrs Dodds added that her officials would offer a briefing to the chair and deputy chair of the committee "on a commercial in confidence basis on this matter".

There was an expectation that yesterday's session before the full committee would be held in public, however.

The department was asked to clarify but had not responded by last night.

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ANALYSIS

THE whole point of Stormont's committee system is to scrutinise ministers and their departments - for the public to see.

When projects involve hefty sums of government cash there is a reasonable expectation that details will be shared openly.

The term `commercially sensitive' as a reason not to disclose information has been used in relation to the Ulster University Belfast campus.

However, while there is no direct comparison between with the UU project, it could be argued that the term `commercially sensitive' could equally have been used to have held RHI or Nama hearings in private.

The first mention of a £126m loan was made in public at the economy committee, although it came out of the blue.

Attempts to find out more details have proved difficult.

The lack of available information does not come as a surprise.

Any time the university was previously asked about costs, it stuck to the same line - "£250m". That was until the audit office revealed the true estimate was £363.9m.

It was also vague about the date work would complete and dismissed claims it could be delayed by up to five years as "absolute nonsense". It won't be far off.

It has also not responded to questions asking if cuts to courses, students and staff are being considered to raise money. It has only said it is evaluating "the full range of funding options".

There is widespread interest in this major university project so it would be much better if there was a steady flow of information rather than trying to get blood from a stone.