To ask the Minister of Education whether staff for the new Controlled Schools Unit in the Education Authority will be redeployed internally or externally recruited.

The new Controlled Schools Unit (CSU) will be established by September 2025. Further intensive engagement with the controlled school’s sector will then take place to gather insights to help shape the unit’s final structure and work programme. This process should then see the CSU fully operational in early 2026.

At this juncture, the overall staffing structure and number of staff that will be operational with the CSU has still to be confirmed. It is anticipated that the CSU will be resourced by internal restructuring and via recruitment where required.

In relation to the legislative process required for the provision of a managing authority for controlled schools, it is the intention of myself and Department officials to follow the necessary legislative steps required to bring primary legislation to the Northern Ireland Assembly to ensure that this critical work is carried out correctly for the Controlled School sector. I recently circulated a paper to Executive colleagues outlining my intention to legislate on this matter.