A dispute has emerged over proposed legislation in the Northern Ireland assembly aimed at supporting families with food costs during school breaks. The Holiday Meals Payment Bill, brought forward by Sinn Féin assembly member Danny Baker, would establish a new payment system for families whose children receive free school meals, providing assistance during periods when schools are closed.
Education Minister Paul Givan from the Democratic Unionist Party has expressed consistent opposition to the measure, citing significant financial implications for his department. He has warned that the scheme would require approximately £20 million annually from the Department of Education at a time when the department is already facing budgetary constraints. The proposed payments are modeled on a similar initiative introduced during the pandemic, which provided qualifying families with £27 per child every fortnight.
Givan has submitted amendments to the legislation that would grant him discretionary power to determine the timing of payment implementation. The amendments would require support from other assembly parties to be adopted. The Ulster Unionist Party has indicated reservations about the proposal, though the exact nature of their position remains unclear.
Campaign organizations, including the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and Save the Children, have opposed Givan’s amendments, arguing they would remove certainty about whether and when payments would actually commence. These groups have called on all political parties and assembly members to reject the amendments and support the legislation in its current form. Baker has characterized the minister’s amendments as an attempt to obstruct implementation of the bill.
A Department of Education spokesperson has contested this characterization, stating that the amendments are intended to ensure responsible budget management rather than delay or block the legislation. The department emphasized that the amendments address financial pressures and competing priorities while maintaining the bill’s core provisions regarding eligibility, payment amounts, and holiday coverage. The assembly is scheduled to discuss the matter on Monday.
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