Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald has welcomed an announcement by the Finance Minister Conor Murphy to provide grant support for hospitality businesses and has said the DUP Economy Minister needs to step up with support for other businesses impacted by measures to curb the spread of the Omicron variant. 

The party’s economy spokesperson and chair of the Assembly’s economy committee said: 

“I welcome the announcement of a £40 million support scheme for hospitality businesses by the Sinn Féin Finance Minister Conor Murphy.

“The Finance Minister has once again stepped up to support businesses impacted by the pandemic.

“This business support scheme will make payments of between £10,000 and £20,000 (based on rateable value ) and which will support over 3,000 hospitality businesses that are being impacted by the latest restrictions.

“These payments will help businesses through the current restrictions and are absolutely vital as the British Government has yet to reinstate the furlough scheme to support workers.

“The DUP Economy Minister now needs to step up and support other businesses and individuals being impacted, including those in the supply chain of hospitality businesses, as well as hotels and entertainment and tourism businesses that will also be suffering from reduced footfall.

“The Economy Minister also needs to provide support for the travel sector which has been one of the worst impacted sector’s over the course of the pandemic, and which he and his department has refused to support to date.

“I hope we will hear announcements from the Economy Minister in coming days as to how he intends to support these businesses.

“Sinn Féin’s priority over the past almost two years has been protecting lives and livelihoods, we continue to work to support businesses to protect jobs and to support workers and families.”