Minister met NI school to discuss ‘sports dome’ that DUP colleague had previously rejected

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/minister-met-ni-school-to-discuss-sports-dome-that-dup-colleague-had-previously-rejected/a1672726381.html

Minister met NI school to discuss ‘sports dome’ that DUP colleague had previously rejected

EA official was ‘happy’ to go ‘beyond’ building handbook to discuss sports dome and pavilion if department provided funding

Education Minister Paul Givan met a school principal to discuss plans for a covered sports dome and pavilion, after which the DUP politician wanted to know how legal constraints “might be overcome”.

That is despite a previous DUP Education Minister ruling out the dome years earlier.

Private communications seen by this newspaper also show an official at the Education Authority (EA) said they would be “happy” to go “above and beyond” the Department of Education (DE) building handbook to discuss funding the dome and pavilion at Lisneal College in Londonderry.

Lisneal was previously at the centre of controversy around money for what the EA said was an NI Football League-sized pitch with a surface finish tested to FIFA standards.

It was approved without a formal application and came months after a June 2024 meeting involving Mr Givan and Communities Minister Gordon Lyons.

At the time, Mr Givan stressed that the EA is in charge of the minor works process and it had nothing to do with him.

Newly-released documents show the purpose of that meeting was for Lisneal principal Michael Allen to deliver a “presentation” about a “Sports Campus and Minor Works Projects” at the school.

When this newspaper requested correspondence between the department and EA about minor works at Lisneal College, under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act, it was initially told that no such communications exist.

After challenging that claim with evidence to the contrary, the Belfast Telegraph was furnished with 52 documents.

These reveal that plans for what has been described as an “exciting education and community project” came over a period of several years, when many Northern Ireland schools have been crying out for essential maintenance works, including roof repairs.

Emails between DE and EA in July 2022 state: “Regarding the business case for the replacement of the synthetic pitch, could you please confirm if this was for the development of the sports facilities at the school which would include a dome that would allow soccer, hockey and other sports to be played indoors — which could be used in conjunction with Maiden City Football Club?”

The School Building Handbook provides advice on the planning and design of new school buildings and the standard to which they should conform.

Initially, EA said a dome over a pitch is not in the DE’s Building Handbook, meaning it “cannot provide this”.

But, the official added: “If DE wants to direct EA to go above and beyond its Building Handbook and provide earmarked funding to EA for the design, construction, future maintenance and life-cycling of a dome, then EA is happy to discuss further.”

In response to questions from this newspaper, the EA said “any suggestion an official was ‘happy’ to circumvent the normal rules in order to move the project forward if the education department wished, is not an accurate representation of the facts”.

In August 2022, then-Education Minister Michelle McIlveen wrote to Lisneal addressing ambitions for a dome.

She said: “Unfortunately, the provision of a dome is not something which could be considered for funding by the EA as this is not a requirement for the school as per the School Building Handbook.”

But in 2023, EA’s Community and Schools team “assisted” the school in making an application to the Irish Football Association for funding, which was unsuccessful, according to notes.

Fast-forward to February 2024 and Foyle MLA Gary Middleton was keen to revive the idea of a sports dome.

An email from Mr Middleton’s office to the Minister’s private office hails it as “an iconic flagship project (Lisneal principal Michael Allen) is working on at present”, adding that it will “be a benefit to education but will amalgamate with the community in the development of football”.

It adds: “The project is proposed in a site next to the school grounds, which the school already own.

“Michael is willing to travel to Belfast for this proposed meeting or equally is more than happy to welcome you both to Lisneal College if this were deemed possible. This is an exciting project which Michael feels is worth your attention.”

In the wake of the 3G pitch controversy, Mr Allen appeared on the BBC’s Nolan Show where he categorically stated the meeting was not about funding.

Specifically on the sports dome, he told Mr Nolan that it “was not to ask them for the funding for that. I want to be absolutely clear on that. I mean, I think Paul Givan actually might have said something along the lines of, ‘Do you honestly think we’re here to fund that?’”

The meeting agenda shows he was there to deliver a 15-minute presentation about a “Sports Campus and Minor Works Projects”.

An EA email to the department on March 11, 2024, about the meeting with Mr Middleton and Mr Allen states: “The school and Maiden City have plans to further develop the site and are seeking funding opportunities to progress these.

“Options they are considering include turning the grass pitch into an indoor synthetic pitch and building a pavilion alongside the pitches to replace the current portacabins.”

Furthermore, a document titled ‘Quick Advice for Minister’ on March 12, said the purpose was “to discuss a project to enhance sports facilities in land owned by the school” and goes on to mention “an indoor synthetic pitch with pavilion”.

Despite a previous Minister ruling out such a project, Mr Givan wrote back to thank the Foyle MLA for an invite “to meet with Michael Allen MBE, Principal of Lisneal College, to discuss a flagship project that will benefit both education and community development of football”.

He concluded: “I would be happy to meet with Mr Allen to discuss his project.”

In May, an EA email stated that “the Minister has now agreed to meet with Michael Allen MBE” to discuss “a project to enhance sports facilities in land owned by the school.” It does not mention other potential projects.

Mr Givan and Mr Lyons held a meeting with the school principal in June 2024. Notes show they discussed the dome, SEN provision and a 3G sports pitch.

Months later, the school would learn that funding had been approved for a £600,000 3G pitch and the second phase of a more than £2m extension, including a dance theatre, to replace mainstream classrooms used to create a specialist provision suite.

After the meeting, departmental notes show that the school “would like to access alternative funding sources to develop the provision with Maiden City FC, but advise they are constrained by legals and the need to have projects ‘shovel ready’ so that funding can be spent in year”.

An email dated June 7 — four days after meeting Mr Allen — states: “The Minister would like to understand what the constraints are from an EA perspective and how they might be overcome.”

In August 2024, EA’s Operations and Estates Directorate emphasised the need for a “fully designed and costed project that has planning permission approval.”

It adds: “Funders will also usually request that additional ‘match’ funding has been secured for the project.

“There is a cost to this design and planning permission phase which EA does not currently have budget cover for.”

EA acknowledged the “significant benefits” the “partnership approach” with Maiden City has for pupils and the wider community, concluding: “EA’s Community and Schools Team will continue to work with the school to explore opportunities for external funding.”

The Minister relayed that message to the school in a letter, which discussed other minor works projects at the school.

DE was asked why it initially refused to provide correspondence and why the Minister was discussing a project that had previously been rejected.

It did not answer them directly, but said that in 2022, Lisneal College was advised by the department that, in line with the DE Building Handbook, “a sports dome was not eligible for funding”.

A statement continued: “The school was advised that it may wish to consider alternative funding sources if it wished to develop enhanced sports facilities.

“In June 2024, the school and representatives met with the Education Minister to discuss a number of accommodation issues, including specialist provision and resurfacing of a 3G pitch.”

The DUP, Mr Middleton and Lisneal College were contacted. Mr Allen said he didn’t want to comment.