// BBC BUSINESS NEWS — FINANZA
Holiday hunger bill to face final Stormont hurdle
Community and voluntary groups have been publicly supportive of the Holiday Meal Payments Bill, with some staging a demonstration at Stormont on Monday
A proposed law which would help poorer families with food costs during school holidays is to face its final hurdle in the Northern Ireland Assembly later on Tuesday.
Some parents and charities have welcomed the Holiday Meal Payments Bill, external, which was brought forward by Sinn Féin's Danny Baker.
It would create a new payment for families whose children receive free school meals, which would be made outside of term time to help with the cost of food.
But Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Education Minister Paul Givan has been consistently critical of the legislation, warning it will immediately cost his budget £20m a year at a time when all departments are struggling financially.
The Holiday Meal Payments Bill was brought forward by Sinn Féin' assembly member Danny Baker
Baker said he was motivated to introduce it by some of his experiences of breakfast clubs and meal schemes in youth work.
"There was a young boy, about the same age of my youngest, around seven years old," he explained.
"He was filling his wee pockets up and we caught on to this.
"To cut a long story short, he was bringing home food for his siblings because there just wasn't enough food in the house."