Catholic schools in the North could lose out under the government's shake-up of education due to bias from the new central authority, it was claimed today.
Stormont education committee vice-chair Dominic Bradley of the SDLP warned of a possible conflict of interest in handing out money for services.
The new Education and Skills Authority (ESA) will own the state colleges but not the Catholic institutions, yet the body will have to deal impartially with all.
Mr Bradley said: "The Catholic Council of Maintained Schools (CCMS) see that as a conflict of interest. They say that the ESA would be more likely naturally to look after what they own themselves before they look at the other parts of the schools estates."
CCMS chief executive Donal Flangan is to give evidence to the Assembly's education committee later today.
PA