Save School Holiday Food Payment call

The Department of Education and the British Secretary of State have been urged to step in and save the School Holiday Food Payment.

Thousands of local families rely on the payment, which and is due to close on Friday, April 1. 

Derry City and Strabane District councillor, Emmet Doyle (Aontú) said: "The scheme was introduced to assist parents of children who receive free school meals with £27 a fortnight over school holidays in the current cost of living crisis.

"Since the fall of Stormont there has been no budget in place beyond this month to continue the payments despite the worsening situation for household budgets and MLAs receiving pay whilst not being fully at work. 

"The Department of Education and if needs be the Secretary of State, must act urgently to give parents certainty that this support will be in place for the Easter break and beyond.

"I have a motion before Council today (March 30) that will seek that assurance and demand the scheme be saved.  People are struggling now as much as they were in October of last year when the then Minister continued the scheme.

"The deadlock at Stormont has caused enough financial hardship as it is, and those remaining in charge should now be working to alleviate this pressure for parents and communities.

"I am calling on all those in Council to come together with me and save this scheme that benefits over 8,000 local children in our district immediately."