Coronavirus: Executive agrees reallocation of Covid-19 funding

Image source, PA

  • Author, Clodagh Rice
  • Role, 91热爆 News NI Business Correspondent

The Stormont executive has agreed how to reallocate 拢123m from Covid-19 funding.

It is not new money but out of an existing pot of more than 拢700m from the Treasury for the rest of the year.

Almost 拢50m is going towards safely reopening schools and further education colleges, including personal protective equipment (PPE) and free school meals.

Some 拢20m is going to Translink and 拢27m to NI Water - both of which have been crying out for further investment.

Finance Minister Conor Murphy said the schools money would "allow children and young people to return to education in a safe environment while at the same time enabling parents to return to work".

Apprenticeships have been allocated 拢17m, which Mr Murphy said would "ensure young people are provided with the opportunity to gain skills and employment".

A further 拢2.5m will go towards helping social enterprises reopen safely.

Some 拢1.4m is going towards part of the taxi and bus licence fees that has not been waived.

The latest round of allocations in full are:

  • 拢35m - schools reopening
  • 拢27m - NI Water to offset loss of income from commercial users
  • 拢20m - Translink
  • 拢17.2m - apprenticeships
  • 拢7m - social enterprises
  • 拢6.4m - schools PPE
  • 拢5.5m - Further Education to provide a safe learning environment
  • 拢2.5m - safely reopen the voluntary and social enterprise sectors
  • 拢1.4m - cover statutory license fees for the bus and taxi industry
  • 拢1m - free school meals

"These allocations will help to maintain key public services, support economic recovery and protect the vulnerable," said Mr Murphy.