The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,460 schools and organisations benefitting over 200,000 children at a total cost of some €47.5 million in 2017. The funding for the scheme was increased this year, as part of Budget 2017, by an additional €5.5 million (13% over the previous year’s allocation) which will benefit over 50,000 children.
Based on the 2017 budgetary allocation of €47.5 million, the additional annual costs of expanding the school meals programme by a further 10% is €4.75 million. Changes to increase the funding of any scheme administered by my Department would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.