A reallocation of up to £15 million (€17.2m) has been announced to help support businesses affected by severe flooding in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris made the announcement during a visit to Newry, which was among the areas worst hit following heavy rain last week.
However, political representatives have warned that the sum may not be enough support for businesses.
Scores of businesses in the Sugar Island area of the city are attempting to revive their livelihoods after the bursting of the canal banks last week saw many properties left under water.
Mr Heaton-Harris said a devolved government in Northern Ireland "could have acted swiftly" to respond following the floods.
The Stormont Assembly remains collapsed amid DUP protest action over post-Brexit trading arrangements.
Senior civil servants, with limited powers, have been leading departments in the absence of locally elected ministers.
Mr Heaton-Harris said the UK government will make available up to £15 million (€17.2) of support through the reallocation of existing Northern Ireland funding.
"The floods have been devastating for all those who have suffered the destruction of their homes and businesses," he said.
"Those who have suffered damage need reassurance that support will be available. This is rightly something which a devolved executive should be able to deliver.
"However, in the absence of the executive which could have acted swiftly, the UK Government will make available up to £15m (€17.2m) of support through the reallocation of existing Northern Ireland funding.
"This will help with clean-up costs and support businesses to resume trading."
He added: "We will continue to work closely with the Northern Ireland Civil Service and local councils to ensure that support gets to those who need it as quickly as possible."
A 'welcome step'
Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy criticised the funding as "not enough to assist with damage from last week's extreme flooding".
"Unfortunately, the British government has brought forward no new money, and today’s announcement simply won’t cover the financial cost homeowners and businesses are facing," he added. "The British government needs to fund a scheme that adequately assists those impacted to repair homes, businesses and protect jobs."
DUP MP Carla Lockhart described Mr Heaton-Harris’s announcement as a "welcome step", but cautioned that it may not be enough.
"Businesses have been plunged into despair by the unprecedented flooding witnessed last week," she said.
Manager of Newry Business Improvement District Eamon Connolly was one of the representatives that met with Mr Heaton-Harris.
Mr Connolly said the funding was "very welcome" but that more funding would need to come.
"It's a good start, we had a constructive, engaging meeting with him, but it’s only the start and we certainly hope to see more money come from London," he said.
He added that Mr Heaton-Harris was "empathetic, supportive and listening."
Mr Connolly further stated that the clean-up bill for Newry would be in the "many millions".
"We had over 100 businesses in a room last week that were directly impacted in a physical state and we have other businesses that are impacted indirectly," he said.
"How much it is going to cost to return to where we were, at this stage I can’t give you a figure, but it’s in the many millions of pounds."
Costs estimated at £37m
Mickey Brady, Sinn Fein MP for Newry and Armagh, said the reallocation was "absolutely not enough".
"It’s totally inadequate and we’re very disappointed in the Secretary of State’s approach to the whole thing," he said.
"Because Newry needs a lot more, we need much more help, much more money."
Mr Brady said the shortfall would mean "extreme hardship" for businesses in the town.
President of the Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade Julie Gibbons said the council had been working very hard with affected businesses to try to quantify the level of loss, but early indications would suggest that it is in the region of £37 million (€42.4m).
She said the chamber is lobbying and working collegiately with everybody who might have a little bit of influence.
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Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Ms Gibbons said information about the situation has been fed up to the head of the civil service Jane Brady, "who has been really engaging as well and working very hard to try to put a case to the Secretary of State for a financial hardship fund."
Ms Gibbons said Ms Brady "has been in pretty close contact with all parties involved" and Michelle O'Neill in her capacity as designate First Minister, visited Newry on Monday.
She added that business affected by the floods that are just over the border in the Republic "are going to get substantial assistance from the Irish Government. Whereas, just within, within a stone's throw, we're still waiting on word as to what we might get."
