SDLP councillors have expressed outrage after it was revealed that a portion of the £10 million funding allocated to support businesses in Newry and Downpatrick affected by flooding in Autumn 2023 has been handed back to Stormont.

According to reports, less than half of the allocated funding has been distributed to businesses that suffered damage from the devastating floods.

SDLP Newry councillor Doire Finn commented: "Given the destruction caused by this widespread flooding it’s deeply disappointing that the full amount of funding available has not gone to help those impacted. I've spoken to many business owners who are still picking up the pieces due to damage caused by these floods and along with all the other pressures facing businesses at the moment it makes things very difficult to keep the doors open. This underspend raises serious questions about the way these schemes were designed by the department and I know that many businesses who can clearly demonstrate how the flooding has affected them are still struggling with the application process and have even had applications refused altogether. What was heralded as a vital lifeline has turned into a huge disappointment for many business owners who must now deal with the consequences of this failure."

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Meanwhile, SDLP Downpatrick councillor Conor Galbraith added: "The impact of this flooding is still being felt by everyone in Downpatrick. Businesses have found it difficult to reopen, with some forced to move premises altogether. That there was money available that wasn't spent to help those who really need it is unthinkable and impossible to justify. We are already dealing with a situation where many business owners feel let down by this process and the lack of support forthcoming from both the Executive and the local council. With millions of pounds being handed back, it's hard to argue with them."