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A one-year pilot project with NI higher education institutions to address "period poverty" has been announced by Economy Minister Diane Dodds.

Mrs Dodds said the issue had "the potential to seriously impact on students in higher education".

She said the pilot would "benefit many higher education students".

Last year, Education Minister Peter Weir received executive approval to provide free period products to all schools in NI.

"Preventing attendance at classes, work placements, and even examinations could seriously hamper an individual's chances of successful completion of their course," Mrs Dodds said.

"The negative impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the local economy has also disproportionately impacted on the types of jobs that students tend to work in while studying, thereby creating an even higher risk of period poverty.

"This is further amplified by the fact that students who would have been reliant on products being made available by schools, colleges and universities will have lost this access during the past year due to institutional closures."

The pilot project announced by the Department for the Economy is due to begin in September.

It involves period products being provided free of charge during the academic year for students attending Ulster University, Queen's University Belfast, Stranmillis University College and St Marys' University College.