Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 July 2014
360. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if her Department has ever examined or had costed or conducted a feasibility study for a school meals programme for every school. [29728/14]
View answer361. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the cost of the school meals programme during the 2013/2014 academic year; and the number of schools it covers. [29729/14]
View answer362. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection her plans to increase the number of schools that may avail of the school meals programme. [29730/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 360 to 362, inclusive, together.
The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,600 schools and organisations which benefits approximately 205,000 children through two schemes for the current academic year, at a total cost of €37 million. The first is the statutory urban school meals scheme, operated by local authorities and part-financed by the Department. The second is the school meals local projects scheme through which funding is provided directly to participating schools and local and voluntary community groups who run their own school meals projects.
Despite pressure on the social protection budget, the Government allocated an additional €2 million for the school meals programme in 2013, increasing the total allocation to €37 million. The additional €2 million was used to extend the school meals local projects scheme to some 100 additional DEIS and special schools benefiting over 9,700 children.
The school meals scheme is in place to provide support to disadvantaged children and priority is given to schools which are part of the Department of Education and Skills’ initiative for disadvantaged schools, ‘Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools’ (DEIS). Analysis undertaken with the Department of Education and Skills shows that there are currently 850 DEIS schools of which 715 are participating in the school meals programme. Applications from DEIS schools not currently participating in the scheme will continue to be accepted by the Department.
Budget 2014 announced the provision of breakfast clubs to support school going children in disadvantaged areas. Correspondence has issued to 12 DEIS schools currently participating in the scheme which have applied for funding towards a breakfast club for the forthcoming academic year.
The Department has not examined or conducted a feasibility study to extend the school meals programme to every school. Any further extension of the scheme could only be considered in a budgetary context.
