LEGISLATION which aims to financially support 90,000 children across the North in receipt of free school meals during school holidays has moved a step closer.
A Holiday Hunger Bill brought by West Belfast MLA Danny Baker passed its second stage in the Assembly on Monday. The Bill will now move to committee stage. Fifty-five MLAs voted in favour with 24 MLAs from the DUP and TUV voting against.
Speaking after the debate, Danny Baker said: "While this measure alone will not end child poverty particularly during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, it represents an important step in supporting 90,000 disadvantaged children and families in our communities.
“It is disappointing that the Education Minister could not support a bill that would help thousands of children who rely on free school meals during the holidays.
“Sinn Féin is committed to working with all parties in the Assembly to progress this legislation and ensure that support reaches those children who need it most.”
SDLP Councillor Paul Doherty said any holiday hunger legislation must be fully funded. Cllr Doherty's Foodstock charity provides meals to families who are struggling financially.
“The SDLP is fully supportive of holiday hunger legislation and restoring these much-needed payments to families that were inexcusably taken away at a time when the Stormont institutions were collapsed," he added.
“Every period of school holidays community organisations see a huge spike in demand for help securing food parcels and other support. The removal of modest holiday hunger support put huge pressure on households and the situation will only get worse with continued rises in the cost of living.
“Holiday hunger legislation has the potential to make a real difference, but only if it is backed with funding. This is Sinn Féin legislation and the Sinn Féin Finance Minister must work with the Education Minister to ensure this opportunity to help people isn’t lost.
“The Executive must also do far more to support families who will not qualify for these payments, but are in desperate need of support. I see every day how families on low incomes, facing high rents and mortgage payments are being squeezed and for many there is nowhere to turn. This is just one of many measures the Executive needs to introduce if we’re going to tackle the poverty that permeates our communities.”
Giving his reasons for not supporting the bill, during the debate in the Assembly, Education Minister Paul Givan highlighted the costs involved.
“Despite the Bill's worthy aspirations, there are many reasons to oppose its passage through the Assembly,” he said. “I will begin with a fundamental issue: the cost of the Bill, which will place an additional burden on my Department's already deficient budget, and the consequential negative impact that such a burden would have on the education of our children.”
