Debate contribution: Education (Holiday Meal Payments) Bill: Consideration Stage
Debate contribution by Miss Michelle McIlveen on .
- MLA
- Miss Michelle McIlveen
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 21 September 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Education (Holiday Meal Payments) Bill: Consideration Stage
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5743053
Read the official Assembly record
Text
The Member talks about "progressive parties" and so on. However, he will note that — Michelle Guy referred to it — successive DUP Ministers brought forward this particular payment. I was the Minister at that time, and I was more than happy to do so, because I felt that it was necessary at that time.
However, that was in the context of a challenging budget.
I also questioned whether responsibility for the payment should remain with the Department of Education. At the time, Miss Hargey was the Minister for Communities. I sought several meetings with her. In the end, I got one meeting and had a discussion about that issue, but she and her officials refused to take responsibility for it as a priority in that Department.
127 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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