I have met hundreds of groups in all areas of society – Givan

Stormont Education Minister Paul Givan has insisted he has met a wide range of groups from across the community during his tenure.

Mr Givan, along with DUP colleague and Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, has been criticized for meeting with the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC).

Parties across the chamber at Stormont have questioned why both ministers met in recent weeks with the council, an umbrella group representing the Ulster Volunteer Force, the Ulster Defense Association and the Red Hand Commando.

Mr Givan and Mr Lyons have also been accused of prioritizing the LCC while refusing meeting requests from other groups.

It emerged on Tuesday that Mr Givan had declined more than 200 invitations to meet with groups and organizations since he took office earlier this year.

Mr Givan dismissed the criticism, saying he had had hundreds of meetings with groups from “every aspect of our society”.

“Since taking up the post nearly eight months ago, I have accepted over 320 invitations,” he said during a visit to the school in Lisburn, Co Antrim, on Wednesday.

“I’ve filled hundreds of them, and it’s been a cross-section of every aspect of our society, every sector of education, so I don’t think the criticism will stand.”

He added: “I’ve made it clear that we need to make sure all parts of our society move forward and I’m here in Lisburn from a working-class loyalist community that 20 years ago was in a very dark place but because of the work of politicians and the government we’ve been able to move our communities forward and I want making sure we progress and move everyone forward.

Mr Givan said that if any organization or individual is involved in crime, the police and authorities should pursue them and bring them to justice.

“But if people want to move forward just because they had a past but have now put it behind them, we need to make sure we have a future as well so everyone can step forward,” he said.