Strule: Department of Education agrees additional funds for school campus

The site in Omagh will eventually accommodate six schools but the construction costs have soared

Stormont ministers have agreed to provide £150m over the next three years to build the Strule Shared Education Campus in Omagh.

The landmark County Tyrone campus is the biggest school building project ever planned in Northern Ireland.

It will involve more than 4,000 pupils being taught in six schools with some shared facilities.

It was originally due to open in 2020, but the project has been beset by delays and uncertainty over funding.

Only one school - Arvalee Special School - out of six planned on the campus has so far been built.

The estimated overall cost has risen to £374m - from an initial estimate of £168.9m - partly due to delays.

The Education Minister Paul Givan had said that the Department of Education could not afford to meet the cost of the campus from its own budget.

'Critical juncture'

On Wednesday, he told Stormont's education committee that the scheme was at a "critical juncture".

Mr Givan said without the executive backing his proposals, the project would not of been affordable solely from his department's capital budget.

"After a lengthy procurement process it is shovel-ready with a potential contractor in place and the full business case is being finalised.

"However, without the return of the previously ring-fenced Fresh Start funding, the Strule programme will not proceed," he said.

• Department has 'no money' for Strule campus

• Strule Shared Education Campus delays 'creating instability'

• Strule campus to cost £60m over initial estimate

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

To date, £44.4m has been spent on the construction of Arvalee Special School at the campus, a new road scheme and site preparation work.

In a statement, the First Minister Michelle O'Neill said the Executive had made a "significant investment in shared education."

"It will be a flagship for the shared society we all want for our children's future," she said.