SCHOOLS and further education colleges are to be given an extra £47 million to help reopen as part of a fresh £123m Covid-19 funding package agreed by the Executive on Thursday.
The allocation will be broken down into a £35m reopening package for schools and £6.4 million for personal production equipment (PPE). Another £1m will be provided for free school meals.
Further education colleges will also receive £5.5m to develop a safer learning environment.
NI Water will receive £27m to offset the loss of income from commercial customers during the lockdown, while Translink gets another £20m.
But there is no sign of a new support grant for businesses left out of other schemes. Economy Minister Diane Dodds was instead handed £17.2m to deliver a package for apprenticeships.
However, a number of other departments have stepped in for hard hit industries.
The Department for Communities will administer a £7m fund for social enterprises, while the Department for Infrastructure will get £1.4m to waive statutory license fees for the bus and taxi industry.
Another £2.5m will help the voluntary and social enterprise sector reopen safely.
Stormont’s Covid-19 funding was bolstered by £162m in July courtesy of Barnett consequentials from the UK Chancellor's summer economic update.
Even with the latest spending allocations, more than £728m remains in the pot for Covid-19 reponse. With fears remaining over a potential second wave, it’s understood the funds are being held back in the event of a surge in costs across departments, but particularly within the Department of Health.
Another £69.4m is being held for PPE.
Announcing the latest allocations, Finance Minister Conor Murphy said the new funding for schools will allow children and young people to return to education in a safe environment while at the same time enabling parents to return to work.
"Recognising the need to ensure young people are provided with the opportunity to gain skills and employment, the Executive is providing over £17 million for apprenticeships," he added.
"£7m is being provided for social enterprises, many of which employ vulnerable people, with a further £2.5m towards safely reopening the voluntary and social enterprise sectors.
"These allocations will help to maintain key public services, support economic recovery, and protect the vulnerable."
