Vol. 480 No. 6
395 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the plans, if any, he has to address the arbitrary distinction between urban areas deserving of free meals for primary school children and rural areas where no such entitlement exists under the school meals scheme; and if he will direct the focus of the revised legislation in favour of disadvantaged areas regardless of their urban or rural context. [14551/97]
Social welfare legislation empowers county borough councils, urban district councils and town commissioners to make arrangements for the provision of meals for children attending national schools within their areas. There is no legislative provision for county councils to make similar arrangements, except in relation to schools in Gaeltacht areas.
A review of the school meals scheme will be carried out and is expected to be completed by the end of 1997. This review will examine the overall coverage and relevance of the scheme and any decisions in relation to the scheme will be considered in the light of the findings.
