Additional £3.6m for Covid support fund

Mr McAleer said: “At last week’s committee meeting we heard that the Department of Finance had commissioned a COVID-19 Reprioritisation exercise of the 2020-21 budget across all departments.

“In DAERA, this resulted in the release of £7.5m with £3.6m earmarked for the market intervention fund and the remainder allocated to support councils for waste management and £1.3m to AFBI for COVID testing. I followed this up with questions on how and when this £28.6 million market intervention fund will be distributed.

“In their response, the department stated that “Officials are monitoring the impact of COVID-19 on all sectors and it is the minister’s intention to ensure the funding is focused towards those most in need and those who can clearly demonstrate tangible loses as a result of COVID-19.

“Since the £25m COVID-19 support fund was announced, Minister Poots and Officials have consulted with numerous industry representatives and stakeholders, to hear their analysis of the impacts of the pandemic and their proposals for allocation of the £25m. During those discussions, there was a clear acceptance of the need for support to be targeted at those farm business hardest hit financially as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When a final decision is made on the allocation of the funding it is the minister’s intention to ensure that it is administered with ease and at pace so that businesses get the funding into their bank accounts quickly to address cash flow concerns.”