Sinn Féin MLA Karen Mullan has reiterated her calls for the education minister to provide urgent support to substitute teachers.

The Sinn Féin education spokesperson said:

“It is now six weeks since schools were closed, that is six weeks that our day-to-day substitute teachers have been without the ability to earn an income.

“Sinn Féin has been clear from the outset that our priority is not only to save lives but to protect livelihoods as well.

“Substitute teachers play a pivotal role in the day-to-day running of schools across the north and we firmly believe they should be protected throughout this crisis.

“These workers have had their income disappear but their bills keep coming.

“I have raised this directly with Minister Weir and his officials on  numerous occasions at the Education Committee but what we have seen to date is delay and deflection.”