Northern Ireland politicians are seeking an urgent meeting with the employment minister over plans to move tourism university courses away from Belfast.

An assembly committee has said it wants to investigate issues surrounding the proposed merger of the Northern Ireland Catering College and the University of Ulster.

About 80% of the submissions to an assembly consultation on the proposals were opposed to it.

Many in the catering and tourism industry say it is wrong to move the training and the students away from the area where most bars, restaurants and hotels are located.

Equality law

The university is keen to set up a centre of excellence in Portrush, County Antrim, and has now promised if it gets the go-ahead, it will create two professorships in tourism and in hospitality.

It would also set up an advisory committee to make sure the centre is "of world class standard".

The Employment and Learning committee has reservations about the plan and wants to ask the minister, Carmel Hanna, for more information.

This would focus on whether there are implications for equality law and who paid for a consultants' report, which is broadly in favour of the merger and move.

The university has said it is investing �1.5m in the merger and hopes to have approval before the new term starts in September.