Free school meal scheme over summer to go ahead
Families in receipt of free school meals will get £13.50 per child per week.
The families of children in receipt of free school meals will get £13.50 per child over the summer holidays.
The £12.6million package will be able to be rolled out.
The announcement from the Education Minister comes after some doubt over whether or not the scheme could go ahead in the absence of a fully functioning Executive at Stormont.
There has been a stalemate at Stormont since the Assembly Elections in early May, because of a DUP protest over the Northern Ireland protocol, which the party insists is causing harm in NI.
Running from July 1 to August 31, families of children entitled to free school meals will receive £13.50 per week for each entitled child.
Minister Michelle McIlveen said the payment is aimed at helping more than 100,000 children and young people.
"School holidays can create significant financial pressure for parents on low incomes and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis is causing further strain on household budgets across Northern Ireland," she said.
"That is why I am allocating £12.6 million funding to provide the families of children entitled to free school meals with additional financial support over the summer holidays.
"At a time when many families are already financially vulnerable, this payment will help to ensure that more than 100,000 of our children and young people can continue to access healthy, nutritious food this summer.
"This is an anxious time for many low-income parents and I hope confirmation of this payment will provide some reassurance to them and alleviate some of the pressure they are experiencing."
Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan has welcomed confirmation of the payments, but urged the DUP to get back into powersharing.
The West Belfast MLA said: “I welcome confirmation that the 100,000 children and their families who rely on these financial payments will continue to be supported over the summer holidays.
“Sinn Féin has a plan to make this support permanent for children and families to put an end to the uncertainty caused by the DUP's boycott of the Executive and the Assembly.
“We are ready to get the Executive up and running today to start putting money in people’s pockets and I would urge the DUP to join with the rest of us and get on with the job that people elected us to do.”
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