Funding for free schools meals, sport clubs and hospices... Finance Minister announces breakdown of £790m package for NI

Hospices are being given £7m while schools will get £61m to help with free school meals, uniform grants and other pressures. Sports organisations will also get £15m to mitigate against loss of income, while local Councils will also be allocated £15m.

£687 million of the new money is Covid-19 funding and over £100 million is part of October monitoring and the Minister said it will have a positive impact on a range of sectors including health, education, transport and sport.

Making the announcement, Conor Murphy said: “The allocations announced today provides over half a billion pounds to bolster our health service. This will help fund the response to this public health emergency including enhancing the test, trace and isolate systems.

“The education of our children is a priority. With schools re-opening on Monday, I have allocated over £61 million to meet increased education pressures.

“This covers costs with restarting schools including; funding to provide a safe learning environment for children and young people, staff costs, free school meals and uniform grants. This also includes, nearly £12 million for Education Authority pressures including Special Educational Needs as part of the monitoring round.

“£19 million will provide much needed financial assistance for the taxi, private bus and coach sector which have been severely impacted by the pandemic and haven’t benefitted from previous schemes. In addition a further £6 million has been held centrally to support this sector.

“£15 million is being allocated for sports organisations which have lost income as a result of reduced spectators at their events, club membership and running competitions.

“We must protect the most vulnerable in society and over £7 million will go to local hospices, which have seen a dramatic loss of revenue and £6.5 million will be used to provide emergency community support and food packages.

“Covid-19 continues to present many challenges and for that reason we are holding £100 million centrally for targeted support by the Executive in the coming weeks and months.”

Other Covid-19 allocations include:

£15 million – local councils;

£10 million – for Department for Infrastructure lost income;

£3.1 million – Executive Communications; and

£2.8 million – Further Education.

Other October monitoring round allocations include:

£39.3 million – NI Co-Ownership Housing Association Scheme

£30 million – NI Investment Fund

£6.3 million – Non-Agenda for Change Pay Pressures

£5.6 million – PSNI EU Exit costs

£4.1 million – NI Assembly Members’ staff costs

£2.2 million – Financial Transactions Capitalised Interests

£2 million – Roadworks and street lighting

£1.6 million – Belfast Transport Hub

£1 million – Schools Maintenance

£0.3 million – Social Investment Fund