DUP's school meal price hike 'will leave more children hungry' - Cllr Shaun Harkin
Derry City and Strabane District councillor Shaun Harkin (People Before Profit) has described the increase in the price of school meals as “punishing working-class households”.
Cllr Harkin said: “This is a political choice made by the DUP Education Minister knowing more than 40% of children living in poverty do not receive free school meals. The consequence will be more hungry children in school.
“This is the second school meal price hike this year. Working-class households and larger families will struggle the most,” he added.
“We know parents are skipping meals to make sure their children are fed. Children can't thrive in school if they're hungry and cold.
Stormont can't help working-class families but there's still massive financial handouts for big profitable companies, weapons manufacturers and corporate polluters.
“Amid this hardship MLAs who gifted themselves massive pay hikes this year still continue to enjoy subsidised food at Stormont.
“Stormont can't help working-class families but there's still massive financial handouts for big profitable companies, weapons manufacturers and corporate polluters.
“Stormont could have acted to implement Universal Free School Meals as demanded by trade unions and supported by People Before Profit. Unsurprisingly, it did nothing,” said Cllr Harkin.
“We need mass people-power action to undo these school meal price hikes and force Stormont to implement Universal Free School Meals as a first step to addressing the burden of school day costs,” he added.
“Working-class communities will continue to be walked on until we emulate mass protests challenging poverty that we are seeing in France and elsewhere."