Northern Ireland

Fresh life injected into Strule Shared Education Campus after £150 million Executive funding confirmed

The scheme is regarded as the largest school building project ever planned in Northern Ireland

First Minister Michelle O'Neill, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly and Education Minister Paul Givan held a virtual meeting with the six school principals to confirm the Executive's funding announcement for the Strule Shared Education Campus in Omagh.
First Minister Michelle O'Neill, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly and education minister Paul Givan held a virtual meeting with the six school principals to confirm the Executive's funding announcement
By Suzanne McGonagle

Fresh life has been injected into the long overdue Strule Shared Education Campus in Co Tyrone following confirmation of £150 million funding from Stormont.

The Executive said on Thursday that it will provide the funds over the next three years.

It is anticipated that the main works contract for the campus will be awarded in early summer, with construction commencing on-site later this year.

The scheme, regarded as the largest school building project ever planned in Northern Ireland, was originally due to open in 2020.

However, the project has been beset by delays and uncertainty over funding with the estimated overall cost rising significantly from an initial estimate of £168.9 million to £374.

An independent review last year deemed it “unaffordable”.

It had been estimated that the Department of Education would need to provide £170m towards the project, with much of the funding also being provided by the government’s Fresh Start Agreement.

Education Minister Paul Givan has said his department alone cannot cover the shortfall.

The campus, located on the site of the former Lisanelly army base, will involve more than 4,000 pupils being taught in six schools with some shared facilities. The land at Strule was gifted by the Ministry of Defence to the department in April 2011.

Loreto Grammar, Christian Brothers Grammar, Omagh High School, Sacred Heart College and Omagh Academy are all hoping to relocate to the campus.

Just one school - Arvalee Special School - has been constructed on the site so far at a cost of £44.4m.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill said she was delighted that the Executive had pledged the funding to deliver the Strule Campus.

“We have shown our commitment to this iconic and unique shared education campus, which has been long awaited for by the entire Omagh community,” she said.

“This represents significant investment in shared education and Strule has the potential to become an education campus of international renown.

“It will be a flagship for the shared society we all want for our children’s future.”

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said it is “hugely significant moment” for the project.

“Shared education plays a key role in developing a peaceful and shared society, giving children and young people from different backgrounds the opportunity to learn together in an environment which encourages respect for all.

“Strule Campus is a vital component in the Executive’s vision of delivering a better, more peaceful and prosperous society for all.”

Education minister Paul Givan said: “It is a new and pioneering approach to the delivery of education provision in Northern Ireland.

“The campus will provide a potential large-scale model of shared education, which will inform the future development of education in Northern Ireland over the coming decades.”