A Foyle MLA says correspondence from the Department to the Economy Committee confirms that the ongoing Higher Education funding crisis is now putting the delivery of key City Deal projects, including the new School of Medicine at Magee, at risk.
Sinead McLaughlin of the SDLP says it’s deeply concerning for the North West.
The MLA has hit out, saying the project is not simply another capital project, and is imperative to Magee’s expansion, addressing workforce shortages in the health service and creating long-term economic opportunities for the region.
The Department has acknowledged that Ulster University is reviewing the scope and scale of the School of Medicine because of the current budget situation.
Ms McLaughlin says this inevitably means delays and uncertainty for a project that local people have waited far too long to see delivered.
She says the Executive cannot continue to treat higher education funding as a separate issue from economic development.
It comes just days after the Air Dome Sports Centre project was quashed because of funding issues.
