Executive Needed To Secure Holiday Hunger Payments

An Executive must be formed now to ensure families continue to receive payments in place of free school meals during the Halloween break, Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan has said.

The West Belfast MLA called on the DUP to end its boycott and work with other around the Executive table to support workers and families.

Pat Sheehan said: "The Halloween break is fast approaching and without an Executive, thousands of families face uncertainty over whether they will receive payments in place of free school meals.

"People are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and these payments are a lifeline to many children and their families, and it is cruel and unacceptable that the DUP would cause such uncertainty.

"The Finance Minister set aside funding to tackle holiday hunger for over 100,000 children and young people over the next three years, but this cannot be signed off without an Executive.

"The easiest way of getting that money out the door is forming an Executive today. And I would urge the DUP to end its boycott and work with the rest of us to support hard-pressed workers and families now."