THE principal of St Mary's University College on the Falls Road has welcomed funding of £400,000 from the Department for the Economy.
The funding represents an increase of a third on what the college currently receives. £400,000 was also announced for Stranmillis University College by Minister Caoimhe Archibald.
Welcoming the funding Professor Peter Finn said the Minister has recognised that the College's relatively small size and specialist nature requires a boost "after years of austerity".
"It’s a very positive development at the start of the College’s 125th anniversary year. We thank the Minister and all those who contributed to this decision," he added.
"At a personal level I also wish to thank Paul Maskey MP who has worked collaboratively with me for over a decade to secure the long-term future of St Mary’s. It was over a decade ago that Paul challenged Stephen Farry MLA who was the Economy Minister at the time when he attempted to significantly decrease funding to the College.
"These are changed times, and we now have a Minister and officials who have acted positively to address long-standing funding pressures. The additional annual allocation will initially go to alleviate issues that have arisen from the fact that the College’s unit of funding has not increased since 2013, despite rising costs and unprecedented inflation.”
He continued: “St Mary’s draws its inspiration from a variety of sources, one of which is our faith foundation."
West Belfast MP Paul Maskey said: “This is a hugely significant announcement by Economy Minister Archibald and will help to strengthen this thriving West Belfast institution.
“St Mary’s University plays a vital role in our community, not only producing the next generation of teachers but also serving as a vibrant hub for various local projects. It plays a central role in Féile an Phobail and is also a partner and sponsor of the Aisling Bursaries; both incredibly positive community events in the calendar.
“At a time when our education system faces major financial pressures, this additional support from Minister Archibald recognises the invaluable work of our higher education colleges.
“Sinn Féin will continue working closely with St Mary’s and other universities to invest in the future of our young people and ensure they have resources needed to continue delivering first-class education.”
