To ask the Minister of Education, pursuant to AQW 29920/17-22, to detail (i) the insurance implications for schools offering their facilities for community use; and (ii) what advice she can give to schools.

My Department published a Guidance Toolkit on the community use of school premises in 2014 which provides advice for schools in dealing with the practical issues involved. It states that in any arrangement permitting such use, responsibility for the management, control and supervision of the activities being conducted should rest firmly with the user groups.

The Toolkit also advises that in order to protect the interests of the user groups and the school in respect of public liability claims, it is normal practice for user groups to hold commercial insurance in relation to public liability risks. All schools must ensure that third party user groups provide evidence that public liability insurance is held to cover the third party use of the school premises.

The Education Authority’s review of the community use of school arrangements, which has now commenced and is at an early stage, will include consideration of the need for public liability insurance and the advice to schools on this issue.