SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan
Mr Durkan submitted the legislation to Assembly Speaker Alex Maskey on Monday.
It attempts to unlock the £300m currently unspent by allowing resources to be allocated in the absence of the Joint First Ministers.
Said the Foyle MLA: “After working over the weekend and engaging with the other parties I have today submitted legislation to the Assembly Speaker aiming to unlock the £300m currently unspent from our block grant and get it to families who are struggling as a result of the stark increase in food, fuel and energy bills.
“While I realise that time is short we must do everything we can to get this money to those who need it.
“When families across the North are struggling to put food on the table, put petrol in their car and cannot turn on their heating we cannot simply sit here and do nothing, we must use every second left of this mandate to help people in any way we can.
“I’m urging the Speaker and other MLAs to rally round and help get this legislation through the Assembly.
“This is bigger than party politics, it’s about protecting our communities from a global crisis that looks set to get worse before it gets better.
“Too often people in the North lose out as a result of failures in politics, this can be an exception, a time when we pull together to do what’s right and help families through this emergency.”
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