To ask the Minister of Education whether his Department has undertaken an equality assessment of how legislation to raise the compulsory school age to 18 will impact children with additional needs.

I do not propose to increase compulsory school age to 18.

Work is on-going within the Department to scope legislation for enactment during this Assembly mandate which will require young people to continue education or training until they are age 18.

As part of this work, my officials are currently conducting an Equality Screening of the proposed legislation together with a Rural Impact Assessment and Child Rights Impact Assessment.