Sinn Féin Group Leader on Belfast City Council Ciaran Beattie has called an emergency council meeting to discuss funding a scheme to tackle holiday hunger over Christmas. 

The Sinn Féin Councillor said: 

“Sinn Féin has called an emergency Council meeting to discuss how we can support vulnerable families and workers over the Christmas holidays. 

“We are proposing that £300,000 be used to purchase and provide food parcels to assist those most in need in our city. 

“This funding would allow for the purchase of thousands of food parcels to be distributed to vulnerable citizens in our communities. 

“No citizen should go hungry – this includes our children, elderly and most vulnerable – the right to access food is considered a fundamental human right by the UN and it is firmly the view of Sinn Féin that this right must be inclusive and enjoyed by all. 

“Poverty and a lack of access to food is an issue within our communities in ordinary times. This issue has been compounded by the ongoing pandemic and the uncertainty for families and workers. 

“Sinn Féin has been pressing the Education Minister to extend free school meal payments over Christmas to help families and workers, and it is our hope that this scheme will provide further assistance to the most vulnerable.”