The British Chancellor of the Exchequer has yet to a respond to a call from the Stormont Executive for an extension of the furlough scheme, a minister has said.
Stormont Economy minister Diane Dodds said it was "early days" in the attempt to convince Rishi Sunak to continue to subsidise salaries beyond October.
Mrs Dodds provided an update on Stormont's pandemic response as it was announced that two more people with Covid-19 have died in Northern Ireland.
The Covid-19 death toll recorded by the Department of Health in Northern Ireland now stands at 567. Another 40 confirmed cases of the virus were also announced.