Garrett Hargan
garretthargan.bsky.social
Garrett Hargan
@garretthargan.bsky.social
Citizen of Derry city, Ireland.

Journalist. Music and sports fan.
NEW:

No mention of this last week during two grilling sessions in front of the Assembly & Education Committee.

Now, the Education Department says Givan wrote to Lisneal College to say its £710k pitch plan was on hold - but EA approved it anyway.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/educati...
Department makes new claim that Paul Givan 'wrote to school to pause £710k pitch plan'
The Department of Education has said Minister Paul Givan wrote to Lisneal College to inform the Londonderry school that plans for a new state-of-the-art pitch were “on hold due to budget pressures” — ...
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
February 10, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Pupils forced out of school building due to fears over 'structural integrity' of roof

Without question, an 'unavoidable work'.

EA claims Lisneal's pitch deemed serious risk/unavoidable work in 2019 - yet children played on it continuously for 6 years.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/norther...
Children forced out of NI school building over concerns about ‘roof’s structural integrity’
Pupils in a Derry primary school have had to move out of their building due to concerns over the structural integrity of its roof.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
February 8, 2025 at 11:17 AM
A Stormont committee has agreed to write to the Department for Communities seeking clarity on its role in the decision to allocate £710K for a state-of-the-art pitch upgrade at Lisneal College in Derry.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/norther...
Stormont committee writes to communities department to seek clarity on its role in Lisneal funding
A Stormont committee has agreed to write to the Department for Communities seeking clarity on its role in the decision to allocate £710K for a state-of-the-art pitch upgrade at Lisneal College in Derr...
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
February 7, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Education Minister Paul Givan still has questions to answer over equality after Lisneal football pitch row

'Why are our children not important?' - Sinn Fein MLA Cathy Mason said at yesterday's committee meeting, relaying a message from school principals.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/comm...
February 6, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Councillors in Derry and Strabane have called for new facilities at Altnagelvin Hospital’s A&E department, which only has “one toilet between upwards of 100 sick patients”.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/norther...
Councillors call for new facilities at A&E that 'has one toilet between 100 sick patients'
Councillors in Derry and Strabane have called for new facilities at Altnagelvin Hospital’s A&E department, which only has “one toilet between upwards of 100 sick patients”.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
February 5, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Red-faced education chiefs make U-turn over false Lisneal College pitch claim

The Education Authority has admitted to releasing a statement falsely claiming that a school pitch which was deemed a health and safety risk has not been operational since 2019.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/educati...
Red-faced education chiefs make U-turn over false Lisneal College pitch claim
The Education Authority (EA) has admitted to releasing a statement falsely claiming that a school pitch which was deemed a health and safety risk has not been operational since 2019.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
February 3, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Reposted by Garrett Hargan
Fair play to @garretthargan.bsky.social for uncovering scandals like this, but sadly they’re par for the course in this place.

What’s most frustrating is they’re rarely greeted with more than shoulder shrugging.
February 2, 2025 at 11:31 AM
EXCLUSIVE

The Department of Education is facing calls for full transparency after £710,000 was awarded to a school in Derry following a private meeting with DUP ministers — despite it not making a direct application for the money.

(Lengthy 🧵🙂)
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/educati...
Mystery as school that didn’t apply for funding got £710k after meeting with DUP ministers
The Department of Education is facing calls for full transparency after £710,000 was awarded to a school in Londonderry following a private meeting with DUP ministers — despite it not making a direct ...
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
January 31, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Conor McGregor insulting @paulhughesmma saying that the Derry man should not have an Irish flag because he's a 'c*** from up there' (North of Ireland).

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/derry-...
Derry fighter says Conor McGregor questioning his Irishness ‘shows where his head is at’
MMA fighter Paul Hughes has said Conor McGregor “came at” his Irish identity following a spat between the pair.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
January 29, 2025 at 4:59 PM
The Meenan Square saga continues.

Further delays to a project aimed at addressing historical deprivation in the Bogside area of Derry have been described as “deeply frustrating”.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politic...
Latest delay to regeneration project in Derry’s Bogside is not acceptable, says MLA
Further delays to a project aimed at addressing historical deprivation in the Bogside area of Derry have been described as “deeply frustrating”.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
January 29, 2025 at 3:58 AM
'Northern Ireland councils to get £45m for regional development'

The Economy Department and Minister do an awful lot of talking about regional equality.

It is tinkering around the edges so far.

Take this one for example...

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/nor...
Northern Ireland councils to get £45m for regional development
All 11 Northern Ireland’s councils are to share a £45m regional balance fund allocated by the Department for the Economy (DfE).
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
January 27, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Utter madness’: MLA hits out as Minister reveals no NI pensioner has yet received £100 Winter Fuel Payment

A WINTER fuel payment for pensioners looks set to roll out in Spring.

It comes as NI is experiencing a colder than average Winter.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/norther...
‘Utter madness’: MLA hits out as Minister reveals no NI pensioner has yet received £100 Winter Fuel Payment
The Communities Department has admitted that no pensioner has received the promised £100 winter fuel payment yet in Northern Ireland with an MLA saying the payment will come “too little, too late” for...
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
January 27, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Reposted by Garrett Hargan
Israeli forces kill 15 after firing on protesters demanding withdrawal in southern Lebanon
Israeli forces kill 15 after firing on protesters demanding withdrawal in southern Lebanon
Two women and Lebanese soldier among those killed, country’s ministry for health says
www.irishtimes.com
January 26, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Reposted by Garrett Hargan
Renewable electricity generation as a % of all electricity generated in Northern Ireland has been stagnant now for over 6 years, and the lead over GB has largely evaporated. Meeting the 80% target outlined in the 2022 Climate Change Act by 2030 looks implausible.
January 25, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Hear of widespread storm damage to NI schools.
I sincerely hope Derry schools aren't badly impacted.

If any roofs have blown off they could be operating in open-air classrooms for a while.

None have received major funding for at least 10 years.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/educati...
‘Astonishing’: Disbelief as every Derry city school seeking major funding in past 10 years rejected
Every school in Derry city that applied for major investment from the Education Department in the past 10 years has been rejected – at a time when hundreds of millions was spent on schools across NI.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
January 25, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Sinn Féin, a party that prides itself on its all-island credentials, ‘failed’ to consider the all-island impact of a Co Tyrone goldmine, campaigners say.

The public inquiry collapsed for a second time because the Irish Government had not been consulted.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/norther...
Sinn Féin ‘failed’ to consider all-island impact of Co Tyrone goldmine, says campaigner
Sinn Féin has been criticised for failing to consider the all-island implications of a goldmining proposal in Co Tyrone, as one campaigner accused the Executive of having a “silo mentality”.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
January 25, 2025 at 4:19 PM
St Columb’s Park House in Derry:

New book explores links to Irish Saints, a British Prime Minister, the Famine and WWII across 250 years of ‘hidden history’

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/norther...
St Columb’s Park House in Derry: New book explores links to saints, a PM and the Famine across 250 years of ‘hidden history’
A book has been released documenting the 250-year history of a house that sits in Derry’s St Columb’s Park.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
January 25, 2025 at 4:18 PM
A Stormont body set up to tackle homelessness met more often when the institutions were collapsed than it did last year when a minister was actually in place.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politic...
Stormont slammed for ‘half-hearted’ approach to ongoing homelessness crisis
A Stormont body set up to tackle homelessness met more often when the institutions were collapsed than it did last year when a minister was actually in place.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
January 22, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Derry university expansion pledge questioned as Ulster University reveals new vet courses in Coleraine alongside ambitions for a £5m per year Northern Ireland vet school.

Magee Taskforce gave assurances of all ‘extra students and courses’ going to Magee.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/norther...
Derry university expansion pledge questioned as Ulster University reveals veterinary plans for Coleraine
Questions have been raised about Ulster University ‘horse-trading’ between campuses after new courses were added in Coleraine alongside ambitions to open a regional vet school there at a cost of £5m p...
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
January 21, 2025 at 9:45 PM
‘Astonishing!'

Disbelief as every Derry city school seeking major funding in past 10 years rejected

Let this sink in and think about how this is disadvantaging children in our city.

When is Derry going to demand better?!

Quick🧵

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/educati...
‘Astonishing’: Disbelief as every Derry city school seeking major funding in past 10 years rejected
Every school in Derry city that applied for major investment from the Education Department in the past 10 years has been rejected – at a time when hundreds of millions was spent on schools across NI.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
January 20, 2025 at 9:48 AM
A public inquiry into a controversial gold mine in the Sperrins has been suspended for a second time to await submissions from the Irish Government.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/norther...
Public inquiry into controversial Co Tyrone gold mine suspended for second time
A public inquiry into a controversial gold mine in the Sperrins has been suspended for a second time to await submissions from the Irish Government.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
January 15, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Buses have been suspended in an area of Derry following “repeated attacks” by young people.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/norther...
Translink suspends services to part of Derry after ‘repeated attacks’
Buses have been suspended in an area of Derry following “repeated attacks” by young people.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
January 15, 2025 at 12:58 PM
The Waterside Theatre in Derry, once a hub for the arts on the east bank of the Foyle, is now occupied by an evangelical church.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainmen...
Evangelical church moves in at NI theatre forced to shut due to funding cuts
The Waterside Theatre in Derry, once a hub for the arts on the east bank of the Foyle, is now occupied by an evangelical church.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
January 15, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Councillors have voted decisively to reject plans for a fee to access Halloween events on Derry’s Walls saying there was public anger and it would set a bad precedent.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/norther...
Councillors spooked by proposal to charge for Halloween events on Derry Walls reject plan
Councillors have voted decisively to reject plans for a fee to access Halloween events on Derry’s Walls saying there was public anger and it would set a bad precedent.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
January 15, 2025 at 7:16 AM
The blackout on Derry’s iconic Peace Bridge and Mute Meadow artwork look set to persist as the council has revealed that repair works will be subject to budgetary approval.

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politic...
‘It’s disheartening’: Blackout at iconic Derry tourist attractions due to faulty lights set to continue
The blackout on Derry’s iconic Peace Bridge and Mute Meadow artwork look set to persist as the council has revealed that repair works will be subject to budgetary approval.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
January 15, 2025 at 7:15 AM