The Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) has reacted with disappointment to conditional approval for five planned integrated schools in the North.
The chief executive of the NICIE, Mr Michael Wardlow, said the announcement by the North's education minister, Mr Michael Ancram, was a "significant setback".
"The Minister's decision will force many parents back towards she existing integrated colleges in Belfast.... where many pupils are annually turned away."
There had been the potential to provide 3,000 places in September 1997. The minister's announcement was for 143 places, which was a huge disappointment, said Mr Wardlow.
