Foyle Sinn Féin MLA Martina Anderson has welcomed the opening of an enhanced scheme to help businesses in the Derry and Strabane area who have been forced to close as a result of COVID-19. 

The Foyle MLA said: 

“I welcome the fact that the scheme put together by Finance Minister Conor Murphy to support businesses who have been forced to close as a result of COVID-19 in the Derry and Strabane area has now opened.

“The scheme was enhanced last night to ensure further that It’s more generous than what is currently on offer for all levels of businesses in Britain.

“The measures the Executive agreed last night will overtake some of what was proposed in this scheme, but it is important this scheme was launched so support can be got onto the ground quickly for businesses in Derry and Strabane.

“The Executive has also said it will look at those additional businesses which are impacted on as a consequence of the new measures the Executive have agreed.

“I welcome the efforts to try and get as much support as possible into the local economy to try and assist businesses in the time ahead.

“I am also calling on the British Treasury to look again at providing the finance a necessary to deal with the very real economic damage caused by this pandemic and to ensure that jobs and livelihoods are protected as best we can.”