Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
I’m sympathetic to ensuring our young have one good meal per day over summer
Foster wants free lunch for Ulster kids Pressure on Weir after Johnson U-turn
THE Executive is being urged to end “holiday hunger” for poorer children in need this summer.
A £27 per child per fortnight free school meal payment was announced in March.
But last month Education Minister Peter Weir said the benefit, rolled out as a result of coronavirus, would be unaffordable beyond June.
After England, Wales and Scotland agreed to extend the scheme, he is under increasing pressure to follow suit and provide food for the 97,000 kids entitled to free school dinners.
It comes after Manchester United star Marcus Rashford helped spark a Downing Street U-turn to help young people continue to get the scheme.
The Ulster Unionist Party has tabled a motion to the Executive to tackle “holiday hunger”.
First Minister Arlene Foster proposed an extension of financial support.
She said that would be dependent on funding being identified.
With Sinn Fein also calling for an extension, it is likely additional support will be approved.
Mr Weir had previously said his department did not have the money to extend the scheme outside term time.
When schools closed due to the pandemic, the families of children eligible for free meals were instead given a £27 payment every fortnight.
There are almost 100,000 children in Northern Ireland who are eligible.
During question time in the Assembly yesterday, Mrs Foster said: “I am very sympathetic to ensuring our young people have the certainty of at least one good meal per day over the summer months.
“That is a challenge for many families. And I know this is an issue the Deputy First Minister [Michelle O’neill] also takes very seriously and having spoken to the Education Minister he is also very supportive.”
“Doing well in education can be dependent on a range of factors, but we need to ensure young people have the best possible opportunity to succeed to when they return to school hopefully in late August/september.
“There are exceptional circumstance due to Covid-19 therefore I will be proposing to the Executive that meals continue to be provided to that cohort of children over the summer if the finances can be secured.”
Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast Peter Mcreynolds said: “Delighted for English families and children that Boris Johnson has U-turned again and will provide free school meals for eligible children this summer.
“Let’s do the same for the 97,000 children in NI.”
One further coronavirus linked death was announced in Northern Ireland, bringing the total reported by the Department of Health to 542.
There were two new confirmed cases of the virus, bringing the total to 4,854 since the pandemic began.
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood added: “Glad the Government has U-turned on free school meals. Our Executive needs to do the same.”
SDLP South Belfast MP Claire Hanna added: “The partnership working across departments to deliver support for families who receive free school meals was very welcome.
“Feedback suggests these direct payments have had a positive impact and many families in receipt of them would really struggle to provide sufficient, nutritious food over the summer months without it.
“Foodbanks will not be able to meet this demand and direct payments to the neediest families empowers them to make healthier and more cost effective choices.
“It is welcome that after a powerful campaign led by Marcus Rashford, the UK Government have U-turned and agreed to fund this provision for families across England. In Northern Ireland, we must follow suit.
“Shamefully, children across Northern Ireland go hungry every year, families will be under greater pressure this year. The Executive should step in.”
Alliance MP Stephen Farry has also called for Northern Ireland to follow suit. He tweeted: “Getting lots of message re Marcus Rashford’s leadership and free school meals. I will be
supporting the motion today in the Commons to provide this in England. Unlike Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland has not done this. It should be doing so too.”
Stormont’s Education Committee chair Chris Lyttle said: “I welcome this U-turn by the UK Government and pay tribute to Marcus Rashford.
“However, this now means Northern Ireland is the only region of the UK who will not be operating a similar scheme. That needs to change.
“Alliance supports the extension of free school meal-type payments and assistance during holiday periods, and the Mr Weir, with the support of the Executive if necessary, needs to ensure this is in place for this summer. Free school meals are a lifeline for many families and the right to food is protected under international law.
The Executive must make it a priority to end food poverty by way of a rights-based, cross-cutting approach towards protecting the right to food ”
Sinn Fein MLA Karen Mullan has called for the continuation of free school meal payments.
The Foyle MLA said: “We now have a mechanism by which holiday hunger can be addressed through the fortnightly direct payment. The Department of Education must extend this financial support.
“The links between educational underachievement and deprivation are well known and the evidence suggests that children returning to school can often be weeks or months intellectually behind classmates who have access to a more wholesome diet during the holidays.
“The impact on some of the disadvantaged has been exacerbated by Covid-19 and it’s vital we prioritise and support these young people.”