Vol. 482 No. 3
276 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the plans, if any, he has to introduce a free school meals scheme in disadvantaged areas; if he will give details of the existing arrangements in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17809/97]
Under social welfare legislation county boroughs, urban district councils and town commissioners can make arrangements for the provision of meals for children attending national schools in their districts. County councils, other than in Gaeltacht areas, are currently excluded from the school meals scheme.
In addition, children attending certain preschools in disadvantaged areas are eligible to receive free school meals as long as the criteria laid down in the legislation are satisfied. Forty pre-schools now participate in the school meals scheme with up to 60 children attending each of these centres daily.
My Department also funds the provision of hot soup to children in certain schools which are recommended by Dublin Corporation on a pilot scheme basis. These schools are located in the inner city, in disadvantaged areas, with high levels of poverty and unemployment.
My Department has no function in initiating school meals programmes in schools. This Department's function is confined to reimbursing local authorities up to a maximum of 50 per cent of their expenditure on the provision of such meals and approving participation in the scheme.
Any plans to extend the scheme further can only be considered in a budgetary context. Widening the scope of the scheme would result in increased expenditure for both my Department and the local authorities.
