Education Minister Caitriona Ruane has been asked to explain the drastic cuts - which help provide a variety of activities including breakfast and after-schools clubs.

East Antrim Assembly member Roy Beggs Jnr has demanded an urgent answer from the Minister, after he obtained figures which show that extended school funding for seven schools in the borough has been cut from £113,687 for the financial year 2007-08 to £21,208 for the year 2008-09.

Mr Beggs also points out that he feels schools throughout east Antrim have been "particularly significantly affected".

He argues that by slashing the extended funding allocated to various schools, it would have a far-reaching affect on many Larne families.

"When schools run breakfast or after-schools clubs it allows parents to leave their children off at school earlier than normal. This is particularly useful for working parents who perhaps would have difficulty making childcare arrangements for an hour or so in the morning and after the school day. Without these facilities, many people may find it not worthwhile to work at all.

"The Minister of Education has significantly reduced the extended school funding during 2008-09 and East Antrim has been particularly significantly affected. I have written to her seeking an explanation as to why funding in this area is down by almost two-thirds of the funding that was provided in 2007-2008.

In Larne, schools affected are St Anthony's Nursery School with funding down from £9,430 last year to £1,461; Moyle Primary down from £27,658 to £3,464; St Anthony's Primary School down from £15,726 to £2,056; St John's Primary down from £18,813 to £2,737; Carnlough Controlled Integrated Primary down from £7,100 to £6,832; Corran Integrated down from £22,540 to £2,875 and Roddensvale School down from £12,420 to £1,783.

Mr Beggs is the chairperson of the All Party Assembly Committee for Children and Young People and had been particularly active in lobbying for additional funding to enable the community based extended school programme at Skools Out based in Antiville to receive funding for this year.

He said: "Breakfast clubs and after-schools clubs can provide essential support to parents who have returned to work. Without such support some parents may have to give up their employment or young children remain unsupervised. The Minister has decided to prioritise other educational expenditure yet this extended school funding which benefits many children, working families and the local economy has been cut".