The UK Government's austerity programme "restricts opportunities for our young people," Sinn Féin have said.

The party's national chairperson, Declan Kearney, said that tackling educational underachievement "should be addressed as a priority on a cross community basis."

Mr Kearney made the comments at the launch of the Firm Foundations report in east Belfast on Thursday.

"Education is the key to unlocking the potential of the future for all our young people," Mr Kearney said. "The decimation of key public services by the Tory austerity agenda does not recognise communal divisions.

"With respect to education, the cumulative cutting of our Block Grant means that early years and direct primary and secondary education service provision are not adequately meeting the needs of our young people, and especially those from the most deprived areas in the north.

"Tory austerity is undermining educational provision and that directly restricts the development of educational opportunities and options."

He continued: "Tackling educational under achievement in particular requires targeted investment, a multi agency focus, the involvement of employers organisations and social partners, and the support of  the  entire community in promoting the best learning environments and opportunities for young people at primary and secondary levels.

"All of us in society should be working to ensure that our young people have full equality in realising their educational and creative potential. That should mean uniting on a non sectarian basis to challenge the injustice of austerity and building on the common ground which is the educational futures of all our children."

(MH/JP)