Chris Flood
Question:13 Mr. Flood asked the Minister for Social Welfare the plans, if any, he has to amend the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981, in order to allow county councils to provide school meals. [13926/95]
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Meals.
The school meals scheme was originally introduced in 1914. Currently, under section 274 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981, county borough councils, urban district councils and town commissioners are empowered to make arrangements for the provision of meals for children attending national schools within their areas. Such meals may be provided free of charge provided certain conditions are fulfilled. These include, first that the local authority is satisfied that any of the children attending a national school in their area are unable, due to lack of food, to take full advantage of the education provided for them. In addition provision of meals may also be made in schools outside the local authority area if at least half the children attending the school reside in the local authority's functional area or in dwellings owned by the local authority. A second condition is that the local authority has ascertained that funds other than public funds are not available or are insufficient to defray the cost of the food provided. A third is that the local authority has sought the approval of the Minister for Social Welfare.
Once such sanction is received, the local authority may recoup half the expenditure on such meals from the Oireachtas. In practice, the Department of Social Welfare refunds 50 per cent of the participating local authorities' expenditure on food. The other 50 per cent and any administration costs are paid by the local authorities.
I am disappointed by the Minister's reply. My question was whether the Minister had any plans to amend the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981 to deal with the untenable position that children, especially at primary level, are going to school hungry. I have been told by certain school principals in my constituency that this happens. Does the Minister not agree it is appalling that in one part of my constituency children are going hungry and do not benefit from this scheme, while in another part other children do benefit?
The reason I tabled the question was to ask the Minister for Social Welfare if he would consider amending the Act to allow for a substantial expansion of the school meals facility. In common with my colleague, Deputy Joe Walsh, I am disappointed that the Minister for Social Welfare is not here. Questions are tabled well in advance, the rota is drawn up and it should be possible for a Minister to organise his calendar to allow him to attend this very important part of the democratic process.
I call on the Minister to respond as we are past the time.
I am most disappointed with the Minister.
I am sorry that the Deputy is disappointed but I assure him that it is totally unreasonable of him to expect Ministers to be able to schedule their events in such a way as to be able to answer each Deputy's queries. Compelling engagements may take them out of the area or the country.
The Minister is not answering the question.
If the Deputy wishes to hear the reply to the question——
They are only asked to be here once in 13 weeks.
(Interruptions.)
The Minister is not answering the question.
If the Deputies wish to hear the answer to the question, I will give it to them. If they just want to hear themselves squawking, I will listen to them.
We are past the time and I will so rule in a moment. I would like Deputy Flood to be facilitated by getting a response to his question.
Although the legislation on school meals is within the remit of the Department of Social Welfare, in effect the Department is mainly the paymaster for 50 per cent of the costs relating to the provision of meals. The local authority, not the Department of Social Welfare, is responsible for identifying schools where there is a need to provide free school meals. Information on the potential number of children who might be eligible for school meals if the scheme was widened to include county councils is not held by this Department. Thus, an estimate of the costs involved cannot be calculated by the Department of Social Welfare. I can give the Deputy statistics on the number of participating schools and the number of children facilitated, if that is required.
That concludes questions for today.