Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 October 2017
389. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the €54 million announced in budget 2018 for the school meals programme will enable schools to be able to provide school meals for the entire school year from September to June; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44639/17]
View answerThe school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to schools and organisations at a total cost of some €47.5 million in 2017. As part of Budget 2017, the funding for the scheme was substantially increased by an additional €5.5 million which is benefitting up to 50,000 additional children from September 2017, bringing the total number of schools in the scheme to some 1,700 and the number of children supported up to 250,000.
As part of Budget 2018, funding for the scheme was substantially increased again by an additional €6.5 million (representing 13% over the 2017 allocation) which will benefit a further 18,400 children from September 2018.
The scheme provides funding for a breakfast for all children and lunch for up to 90% of children in DEIS schools for the entire school year from September to June. For the first time in many years, breakfasts are also now available to some schools outside DEIS. Schools are notified in writing of their allocation at the beginning of the academic year.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
