Kids benefit from school uniform grant

SINN Fein MLA for North Antrim Daithí McKay has welcomed a response from the education Minister to a written Assembly question which shows that 27,647 children benefited from the primary school uniform grant first introduced by Caitríona Ruane in 2009.

The total grants paid out amounted to 988,336 and some 4,972 grants were paid out in the North Eastern Education and Library Board area.

Mr McKay said: “While I welcome the availability of this grant the rise in the numbers applying this year is an indication of the severe economic climate in which many families now reside. An extra 2,500 children were awarded the grant this year than in 2009.

“The grant of 35 per child will have assisted in some way in assisting families during a very expensive time of the year with children returning to or starting school for the first time as will the widening of the Free School Meals scheme by the Minister which will also assist families in these difficult financial times and go some way in easing the financial pressures faced by many in our society,” he said.