School Meals Programme

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 October 2015

Tuesday, 20 October 2015

Questions (174)

Jack Wall

Question:

174. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will provide, in tabular form the budget and cost of the school meals programme in Counties Laois, Kildare and Offaly; the number of schools involved; the number of children in each of these schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36337/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection

The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,700 schools and organisations which benefits over 217,500 children. Government has allocated an additional €3 million for the programme in the recent Budget, providing a total allocation of €42 million for 2016. The provision for the scheme was also increased by €2 million in Budgets 2013 and 2015.

The programme 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). The additional funding provided is being used to increase payments to existing DEIS schools with a particular focus on the provision of funding for breakfast clubs which provide very positive outcomes for vulnerable children in terms of their school attendance, punctuality and energy levels.

A total of 48 participating organisations in counties Laois, Kildare and Offaly were approved for funding for the 2014/15 academic year covering 57 schools and pre-schools, totalling some €1.3m. The breakdown for each of these counties is provided in the following tabular statement. The number of children benefitting in each of these organisations for the 2014/15 academic year is also provided. The Department is at present processing applications for the current school year.

School Meals funding for the 2014/2015 academic year in Kildare/Laois/Offaly:

Co Kildare	€818,191
Co Laois	€382,338
Co Offaly	€83,217
Total	€1,283,746

Organisation Name	County	Overall Number of Children Benefitting
Athy Community College	Co Kildare	386
St Farnan's Sec.School	Co Kildare	200
Newbridge SCP	Co Kildare	110
St Raphael's Special National School	Co Kildare	64
Bray North School Completion Programme	Co Kildare	90
Scoil Phádraig Naofa	Co Kildare	320
Scoil Mhichil Naofa	Co Kildare	638
St Conleths N.S	Co Kildare	170
Brightsparks Childcare Centre	Co Kildare	35
Scoil Mhuire S & J National Schools	Co Kildare	700
Kildare Town Youth Project	Co Kildare	550
St Vincent De Paul	Co Kildare	70
Curragh Girls National School	Co Kildare	120
Curragh Camp Boys N.S	Co Kildare	90
St Paul's Secondary School	Co Kildare	120
St Brigids Primary School	Co Kildare	400
Arklow Community College	Co Kildare	200
Curragh Post Primary School	Co Kildare	40
Árdscoil Rath Iomgháin	Co Kildare	70
Coláiste Chill Mhantáin	Co Kildare	20
Scoil Naomh Treasa	Co Kildare	23
Ballywaltrim S.C.P.	Co Kildare	25
Kilberry NS	Co Kildare	119
St Marks Special School	Co Kildare	65
Bishopsland Homework Club	Co Kildare.	8
Portlaoise Vocational School	Co Laois	60
St Francis NS School	Co Laois	101
Mountmellick Youth Development Centre	Co Laois	66
Kolbe Special School	Co Laois	20
Tir na n-Óg Homework Club	Co Laois	12
St Colman's N.S.	Co Laois	170
Scoil Bhríde N.S	Co Laois	70
Tullamore SCP	Co Offaly	164
Edenderry SCP	Co Offaly	91
The Acorn Project	Co Offaly	44
Scurragh Afterschool Activity Club	Co Offaly	230
Shinrone National School	Co Offaly	100
Gallen Community School	Co Offaly	100
Ard Scoil Chiarain Naofa	Co Offaly	232
Daingean Community Childcare Services Ltd	Co Offaly	30
Scoil Bhríde B.N.S	Co Offaly	144
St Joseph's School	Co Offaly	380
St Philomena's N.S	Co Offaly	166
Scoil Eoin Phóil II	Co Offaly	130
Scoil Mhuire agus Chormaic	Co Offaly	106
St Francis Boys School	Co Offaly	219
Scoil Bhríde	Co Offaly	50
Offaly School of Special Education	Co Offaly	20