SDLP Ballyarnett councillor Rory Farrell
The New Decade, New Approach deal which saw the restoration of Stormont in January 2020 included an Executive commitment to bring forward proposals to expand Magee to 10,000 students.
Council has written to the First Ministers on four occasions in the past year to understand university expansion plans, but no responses have been received.
Addressing last week’s Council meeting, the Ballyarnett representative said: “My party colleague, Sinéad McLaughlin, recently questioned Diane Dodds on that commitment.
“She failed to declare support for Magee expansion. She failed to provide detail on when we can expect expansion proposals.
“Instead, she focused on her aspiration for a regionally balanced approach across all Ulster University campuses.
“I’m sorry, but there’s no government commitment to expand Belfast or Coleraine, but there is one for Magee. So, it’s high time that the Economy Minister got behind that.
“We in the SDLP do not agree with Diane Dodds’ position on Magee, but at least we know where she stands.
“What is a mystery to everyone is where Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neill stand on Magee. We’ve written to them countless times in the last year and we’ve had nothing back, at all.
“Our letters go to Stormont and they disappear into a black hole in the Executive Office.
“We need honesty from the First Ministers. We need clarity from the First Ministers. We need them to stop ignoring this issue.”
Cllr Farrell concluded: “We understand that there are funding difficulties. We understand that this is going to cost money.
“Magee expansion is a key priority for this Council. It was a key priority in 1965 and it remains a key priority today, 56 years later.
“The First Ministers are ultimately responsible for the delivery of New Decade, New Approach, so the sooner the they get their heads together and come to an agreed position, the better for everyone.”
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