School Holiday Food Grant Must Be Extended

School Holiday Food Grant Must Be Extended - Cllr Doyle

Aontú Cllr for Ballyarnett Emmet Doyle has called on the Department of Education to give certainty to parents over the future of the school holiday food grant whose budget is due to expire at the end of March

Cllr Doyle:
"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.

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 intend to bring a motion to Council at the end of this month that will seek that assurance. 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."

ENDS

The Irish political system is radically broken

In Ireland the vast majority of elected representatives put a finger in the air to check which way the political wind is blowing. They have one eye on their leaders – seeking brownie points – and another eye keeping their seat safe. If elected reps shut up and do as they’re told, they are promoted; if they stand up for what they believe in, they are demoted. No wonder we have the political class we have. No wonder one point one billion euro is being buried in a hole under the National Children’s Hospital and that Stormont is in stalemate.

Throughout Ireland, many people are now afraid to say what they feel, many are afraid to respectfully engage on a range of different topics. Many feel there is a new censorship and a new political correctness in Ireland, that opposition to the establishment is being deleted.

Respectful opposition is not the enemy. Respectful opposition is a critical element of a functional democracy. Aontú will have the backbone to stand up, without fear, for you.